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PRINCETON,  N.  J. 


5//.V/ 


Division     J_J.JZJ...I...s-)  .— J  «— / 
Section    ,    \A..io.\O.Zj.. 
Number 


The  Book  of  Daniel 


Its  gropftetic  Character  antJ 
Spiritual  JHcaning 


WILLARD    H.     HINKLEY, 
Pastor  of  the  Church  of  the  New  Jerusalem,  Brookline,  Mass. 


BOSTON : 
MASSACHUSETTS  NEW-CHURCH  UNION 
16  Arlington  Street 
1804 


EXPLANATION    OF   REFERENCES. 

The  References  at  the  close  of  each  Chapter  of  the 
Book  of  Daniel  are  to  different  works  of  Swedenborg  in 
which  the  Chapters  and  Verses  cited  are  either  simply 
quoted  by  way  of  illustration  or  explained  as  to  their 
spiritual  meaning.  As  the  following  commentaries  are 
based  upon  the  teachings  of  Swedenborg,  the  Refer- 
ences will  be  found  of  great  value. 

As  the  initials  only  of  the  English  titles  of  the  works 
referred  to  are  used,  a  Table  is  here  added  of  the  Titles, 
somewhat  abbreviated. 

Exceptions  are  the  Latin  titles  "Dicta  Probantia  " 
(Diet.  P.),  the  "Coronis,"  and  the  "Adversaria" 
(Adver.). 

All  the  references  have  been  taken  from  the  Index 
of  Le  Boys  Des  Guays. 


rABLE. 

A.  C.     Arcana  Coelestia. 

A.   E.     Apocalypse  Explained. 

A.  R.     Apocalypse  Revealed. 

T.  C.  R.     True  Christian  Religion. 
H.  &  H.      Heaven  and  Hell. 
L.  J.      Last  Judgment. 

C.  L.  J.     Continuation  of  the  Last  Judgment. 

D.  L.  &  W.     Divine  Love  and  Wisdom. 
D.  P.     Divine  Providence. 

D.  Lord.     Doctrine  concerning  the  Lord. 

D.  S.  S.      Doctrine  concerning  the  Sacred  Scripture. 

D.  F.      Doctrine  of   Faith. 

D.  L.     Doctrine  of  Life. 

C.  L.     Conjugial  Love. 

B.  E.     Brief  Exposition  of  the  Doctrine  of  the  New- 

Church. 
P.  P.     Internal  sense  of  the  Prophets  and  Psalms. 


INTRODUCTION. 


GENERAL  CHARACTER  OF  THE  BOOK. 

The  book  called  Daniel  is  one  of  the  inspired  books 
of  the  Word.  Although  doubts  have  been  cast  upon 
its  Divine  origin  and  authenticity,  owing  to  some  diffi- 
culties in  its  literal  statements,  yet  we  have  sufficient 
authority  for  accepting  it  as  a  part  of  Divine  Revela- 
tion, or  the  Word  of  God,  not  only  because  it  was  quoted 
by  the  Lord  Himself,  but  from  the  fact  that  it  is  in- 
cluded in  the  list  of  books  that  constitute  the  Word,  as 
given   in   the  writings  of  the  New  Church. 

In  these  writings  portionsiof  it  are  explained  accord- 
ing to  their  spiritual  meaning.  The  book  itself  is  both 
historical  and  prophetical.  In  the  work  entitled  "Ar- 
cana Ccelestia"  (n.  1 183),  we  find  the  "land  of  Shinar  " 
mentioned,  and  we  are  there  told  that  in  that  land 
profane  worship  prevailed — that  is,  such  worship  as 
was  holy  in  externals  but  evil  in  internals.  In  this 
passage  the  second  verse  of  the  first  chapter  of  Daniel  is 
quoted,  and  the  carrying  away  of  the  Jews  into  Babylon 
is  referred  to  as  an  historical  relation.  The  fact  that 
they  were  carried  there  and  held  captive  has,  probably, 
never  been  disputed,  but  the  date  assigned  to  this  event 


g  rHE  BOOK  OF  DANIEL 

in  connection  with  the  name  of  the  King  of  Judah, 
is  thought  by  some  commentators  to  be  [erroneous. 

Although  the  different  events  recorded  in  the  book 
hi  generally  believed  to  have  taken  place  about  600 
B.  C,  yet  the  composition  of  a  part,  at  least,  of  the 
book  has  been  ascribed  by  some  writers  to  a  period 
as  late  as  176-164,  B.  C,  in  the  reign  of  Antiochus 
Epiphanes.  If  we  had  certain  evidence  that  the  book 
was  not  written  by  Daniel  himself,  this  would  not  de- 
stroy its  spiritual  value.  All  that  is  contained  in  the 
five  books  of  Moses  was  not  written  by  him,  but  they 
were  written  by  some  hand  ;  parti)'  by  Moses  and  partly 
by  some  one  after  his  death.  This  fact  does  not  weaken 
their  authority  nor  destroy  their  spiritual  meaning. 

The  book  called  Daniel  is  not  only  twofold  in  char- 
acter, historical  and  prophetical,  but  it  is  written  in  two 
languages,  Hebrew  and  Aramaic.  Chapter  i.  and  chap- 
ters viii.  to  xii.  are  written  in  Hebrew,  and  from  chap- 
ter ii.  ver.  4  to  the  end  of  chapter  vii.  is  written  in 
Aramaic. 

The  book  is  usually  divided  according  to  these  differ- 
ences. Hut  there  seems  to  be  no  reason  for  such  a 
division,  so  far  as  its  spiritual  meaning  is  concerned.  It 
h>i^  been  suggested  that  the  whole  book  was  originally 
written  in  Hebrew  and  afterwards  in  Aramaic,  but  that 
portions  of  the  original  Hebrew  were  lost,  and  that  these 
were  afterwards  supplied  from  copies  in  Aramaic. 

We  do  not  regard  these  questions  as  unimportant,  by 
any  means,  although  a  few  only,  even  among  Biblical 
scholars,  can  arrive  at  a  final  conclusion  regarding  them. 

We  are  obliged  to  treat  the  Word  as  we   now  possess 


INTRODUCTION  7 

it,  believing  that  under  the  Divine  Providence  it  has 
been  preserved  and  handed  down  to  us. 

We  should  regard  the  book  of  Daniel  as  a  whole, 
knowing  that  it  was  written  for  the  sake  of  its  spiritual 
meaning,  and  not  for  the  purpose  of  recording  historical 
events  in  a  connected  series.  Wherever  its  statements 
and  allusions  seem  to  conflict  with  the  facts  of  actual 
history,  we  may  be  sure  that  these  apparent  difficulties 
can  be  reconciled.  Two  instances  of  this  kind  may  be 
mentioned.  When  Belshazzar  is  spoken  of,  he  is  called 
the  son  of  Nebuchadnezzar  ;  but  it  seems  to  have  been 
satisfactorily  shown  that  he  was  not  the  son  but  the 
grandson  of  that  king. 

In  the  spiritual  sense,  this  apparent  inaccuracy  does 
not  impair  the  meaning  or  change  it.  A  grandson 
equally  with  a  son  denotes  some  derivative  principle, 
here  a  false  principle  derived  from  evil.  Similar  in- 
stances of  this  use  of  the  term  son,  and  also  of  the  term 
brother,  may  be  found  in  the  Word. 

Another  instance,  more  difficult  to  be  reconciled,  is 
the  statement  in  regard  to  the  transfer  of  the  Babylonish 
empire.  In  chapter  v.  ver.  31,  we  read:  "And  Darius, 
the  Mede,  received  the  kingdom,  being  about  three 
score  and  two  years  old."  But  in  the  history  of  those 
times  gathered  from  ancient  documents,  it  is  related  as 
a  positive  undoubted  fact,  that  it  was  Cyrus  who  acquired 
the  kingdom  of  Babylon.  The  only  way  to  reconcile 
the  difference  is  to  suppose  that  this  Darius  of  the  book 
of  Daniel  was  some  prince  to  whom  the  power  of  gov- 
erning Babylonia  was  delegated  by  Cyrus. 

The  book    of  Daniel   does   not  contain   a  connected 


8  I  111'.  B<  II  >K  <  )l   DANIE1 

history  of  natural  events,  but  all  the  historical  events 

mentioned  have  been  recorded  for  the  sake  of  their 
spiritual  meaning.  This  may  be  said  <4  all  the  historical 
parts  of  the  Word,  even  of  the  Gospels. 

In  regard  to  the  prophetic  visions  of  Daniel,  it  is  very 
plain,  in  the  light  of  the  explanations  given  in  the  writ- 
ings of  the  New  Church,  that  they  can  only  be  inter- 
preted according  to  the  law  of  correspondence  and 
representation,  and  that  no  explanation  can  be  satisfac- 
tory which  makes  reference  only  to  a  succession  of  em- 
pires, or  to  merely  natural  events. 

Even  when  this  book  of  Daniel  is  explained  with 
reference  to  the  state  of  the  Christian  church,  especially 
of  the  Roman  Catholic  and  Protestant  branches,  there 
is  some  danger  of  making  the  application  too  literal, 
making  allusion  to  the  outward  condition  of  churches, 
rather  than  to  principles  of  Divine  truth  and  their 
operation,  from  which  the  internal  quality  of  the  church 
is  made  known.  By  a  careful  study  of  the  book  and  of 
such  explanations  of  it  as  are  given  in  the  writings  of 
the  New  Church,  we  may  see  that  principles,  true  or 
false,  are  always  treated  of,  and  outward  changes  or 
conditions  are  shown  to  be  illustrations  of  the  operation 
of  these  principles  in  the  human  mind  and  therefore  in 
the  church. 

In  studying  the  Word  of  the  Lord  in  the  light  of  true 
doctrine,  we  should  rise  above  merely  external  things 
and  endeavor  to  see  its  spiritual  meaning,  not  only  in 
relation  to  churches  and  dispensations,  which  is  called 
the  historical-spiritual  sense,  but  in  reference  to  individ- 
ual states  of  life  and  especially  to  our  own  lite. 


INTRODUCTION  g 

What,  then,  is  the  spirit  and  purpose  of  this  revela- 
tion, contained  in  the  book  of  Daniel  ?  What  are  the 
particulars  contained  in  the  spiritual  sense  of  it  ?  To 
know  these  things  we  must  first  have  some  idea  of  the 
general  subjects  treated  of.  There  are  three  general 
subjects  treated  of  in  the  whole  book.  These  are  "the 
Consummation,  or  last  time  of  the  Church,"  "the  Com- 
ing of  the  Lord,"  and  "the  New  Church,"  signified  in 
the  Apocalypse  by  the  New  Jerusalem.  "  Wherever 
Daniel  is  mentioned  by  name  in  the  Sacred  Scriptures, 
he  represents  whatever  is  prophetic  concerning  the 
Coming  of  the  Lord — and  the  state  of  the  church  at 
the  last  times."     (A.  C.  3652.) 

The  captivity  of  the  Jews  in  Babylon  represents  a 
state  of  the  church  and  of  the  human  mind  in  which 
man  has  fallen  under  the  influence  of  the  infernal  love 
of  dominion,  the  love  of  ruling  over  others  originating 
in  the  love  of  self.  Babylon  always  denotes  that  evil 
love,  and  to  be  in  Babylon  is  to  be  under  its  influence. 

So  many  allusions  to  Babylon  and  direct  statements 
regarding  it  are  found  in  the  Sacred  Scriptures,  espe- 
cially in  the  prophecy  of  Isaiah  and  in  the  book  of  Rev- 
elation, that  no  doubt  can  be  entertained  that  this  is  its 
spiritual  meaning.  Indeed,  from  the  first  mention  of 
Babylon  in  Genesis  to  the  declarations  in  the  Apocalypse 
with  regard  to  "  Babylon  the  Great,  the  mother  of  har- 
lots and  abominations  of  the  earth,"  its  representation 
is  uniform.  This  has  long  been  recognized  by  writers 
on  the  meaning  of  Scripture  symbols.  But  only  in  the 
writings  of  the  New  Church  do  we  find  an  explanation 
of  the  particulars  involved  or  expressed,  especially  with 


IO  THE  Bl  »  IK  I  )l    DANH  L 

reference  to  the  different  ages  or  dispensations.  The 
Jewish  Church  finally  came  under  the  influence  of  this 
evil  love  to  such  a  degree  that  it  was  brought  to  an 
end.  This  is  denoted  by  the  captivity  of  Israel  and 
Judah. 

This  love  of  dominion  existed  with  the  priests  and 
kings  of  that  church  long  before  its  end.  Its  final  con- 
summation was  represented  by  the  taking  of  Jerusalem 
by  Nebuchadnezzar,  and  the  carrying  of  a  number  of 
its  inhabitants  into  captivity,  just  as  an  individual  loses 
power  over  himself  and  all  freedom  of  action  when  he 
allows  himself  to  be  governed  by  this  evil  love,  or  is 
carried  away  by  it,  even  tor  a  time. 

At  the  end  of  every  church  or  dispensation,  however, 
there  are  remains  of  good  out  of  which  a  new  church 
can  be  formed.  The  old  must  be  utterly  vastated  or 
consummated  before  anything  new  can  spring  up.  In- 
deed there  must  be  a  judgment  upon  the  old.  The  evil 
love  of  ruling  over  others  is  allowed  to  extend  itself  to 
the  utmost  limit,  that  is,  as  far  as  it  can  go,  until  it  is 
consummated  by  its  own  fury;  then  it  is  overthrown 
and  a  new  life  springs  up.  In  all  the  past  history  of 
the  human  race  there  has  been  this  extremity  of  evil, 
tin-  growth  of  the  lust  of  dominion,  which  continues 
until  it  produces  insanity  and  destroys  itself.  This  is 
plainly  shown  in  what  is  said  of  Nebuchadnezzar  ami 
Belshazzar.  But  the  remains  of  good  (the  "small  rem- 
nant ")  although  they  may  be  obscured  for  a  time,  and 
become  apparently  lifeless,  are  continually  sustained  and 
kept  alive  by  the  Lord. 

These   remains    are    represented   by    Daniel   and    his 


INTRODUCTION  ir 

companions  who  are  spoken  of  as  certain  of  the  children 
of  Israel  who  are  of  the  "  King's  seed."  To  be  of  the 
King's  seed  is  to  be  in  truths  from  the  Lord. 

The  position  and  conduct  of  Daniel  in  Babylon  is 
somewhat  like  that  of  Joseph  in  Egypt.  In  the  highest 
sense,  both  of  them  represent  the  Lord. 

The  parallel  between  Daniel  and  the  Lord  may  be 
seen  somewhat  from  the  life  of  the  Lord  as  given  in  the 
Gospel.  Regarding  Daniel  as  representing  the  Lord  as 
Divine  Truth,  we  see  that  this  truth  has,  at  first,  little 
or  no  power.  It  is  apparently  completely  subject  to  the 
love  of  dominion  exercised  both  spiritually  and  naturally, 
in  Church  and  State.  Nebuchadnezzar  represents  the 
love  of  dominion  on  the  natural  plane  of  life.  There 
was  no  true  church  remaining  in  Babylonia  ;  but  the 
spiritual  power  was  represented  by  the  magicians,  sooth- 
sayers, and  astrologers. 

The  similarity  of  the  book  of  Daniel  to  the  book  of 
Revelation  called  the  Apocalypse,  has  been  frequently 
alluded  to.  The  visions  of  Daniel  and  John  are  of  a 
similar  character.  The  book  of  Daniel  is  apocalyptic. 
It  is  full  of  wonderful  imagery,  which  clearly  points  to 
a  future  state  of  the  church.  Swedenborg  says,  in  ex- 
planation of  the  Apocalypse,  that  "it  does  not  treat  of 
successive  states  of  the  church,  still  less  of  the  succes- 
sive states  of  kingdoms,  as  some  have  hitherto  believed  ; 
but  therein,  from  beginning  to  end,  the  last  state  of  the 
church  in  the  heavens  and  upon  the  earth,  and  then  the 
Last  Judgment,  and  after  this  a  New  Church  which  is 
the  New  Jerusalem."     (A.  R.  2.) 

The  same  statement  may  be  made  with   reference  to 


[2  II II     Bl  II  »K  l  U    DANIEL 

the  book  ot  Daniel.  It  is  a  book  of  the  last  times, 
showing  the  cause  of  the  decline  of  every  church  and 
the  loss  of  spiritual  life  in  the  individual  man.  Babylon, 
in  the  Apocalypse, is  the  Roman  Catholic  religion  ;  in  the 
hook  of  Daniel  it  is  the  love  of  dominion,  not  only  in 
the  Roman  Catholic  Church,  but  in  all  churches  from 
the  beginning  of  the  decline  of  the  Most  Ancient 
Church  to  the  end  of  the  First  Christian  Church.  The 
second  part  of  the  three-fold  subject,  namely,  the  Com- 
ing of  the  Lord,  is  vividly  portrayed  in  Daniel's  own 
visions  of  the  Lord  as  narrated  in  the  seventh  and  tenth 
chapters. 

In  these  chapters  the  prophetic  character  of  the  book, 
as  relating  to  the  Lord's  Coming,  is  more  plainly  seen. 
To  these  visions  we  find  much  reference  in  the  writings 
of  the  New  Church. 

This  book  has  been  little  understood  either  in  the 
Jewish  Church  or  in  the  Christian  Church.  It  could 
not  be  understood  without  a  revelation  of  its  spiritual 
meaning.  Swedcnborg  has  not  given  a  connected  rela- 
tion of  this  spiritual  meaning  as  he  has  of  the  Apoca- 
lypse. We  must,  therefore,  make  use  of  the  explanations 
given  of  some  portions  of  it,  and  rely  upon  a  knowledge 
of  the  general  law  of  interpretation  to  explain  the  rest. 

In  regard  to  the  Apocryphal  additions  to  the  book  of 
Daniel  found  in  the  Septuagint  version,  which  are  com- 
prised under  four  books  called  :  "  The  braver  of  Azarias," 
"The  Song  of  the  Three  Children,"  "The  History  of 
Susanna,"  and  "The  Narrative  of  Bel  and  the  Dragon," 
but  little  needs  to  be  said.  They  are  generally  acknowl- 
I  to  form  no  part  of  the  original,  but  to  have   been 


INTRODUCTION 


13 


constructed  from  it  with  fabulous  and  fanciful  additions. 
Jerome,  who  translated  them  with  the  canonical  parts  of 
the  book  of  Daniel  from  the  Greek  of  Theodotion,  de- 
clared that  Daniel  as  received  by  the  Hebrews  contained 
neither  of  the  last  three  named,  and  he  probably  included 
the  "  Prayer  of  Azarias." 

II. 

DANIEL    THE    PROPHET. 

It  is  not  well  to  dwell  too  much  upon  the  personal 
character  of  the  prophets.  They  simply  represent  the 
Lord  as  the  great  Prophet  and  Teacher.  As  represent- 
ative men  their  private  or  personal  character  is  not  to  be 
reflected  upon,  except  so  far  as  it  serves  to  explain  and 
illustrate  the  manifestation  of  the  truth  through  them. 
In  fact,  we  know  but  little  about  them  —  that  is,  noth- 
ing reliable  beyond  what  is  found  in  the  letter  of  the 
Scriptures. 

Daniel  is  not  to  be  excepted  from  this  rule  of  inter- 
pretation, although  more  is  said  of  his  personal  life  and 
experiences  than  of  the  other  prophets.  In  the  book 
called  by  his  name,  especially  in  its  historical  statements, 
the  experiences  of  himself  and  other  Hebrew  young 
men  who  were  with  him  in  Babylon  are  narrated. 

The  additions  to  these  statements,  found  in  the  Apoc- 
ryphal books,  are  not  worthy  of  credence.  While,  then, 
we  must  respect  the  principle  of  interpretation,  above 
stated,  we  must  recognize  the  fact  that  the  natural  life 
of  such  representative  characters,  their  education,  and, 
in  some  cases,  their  previous  calling  fitted  and  prepared 
them  for  their  spiritual  mission. 


14 


I  UK    1!(  h  »K   OF    I  "Will 


We  know  nothing  definite  oi  Daniel's  parentage,  but 
we  have  reason  to  believe  that  he  sprang  from  a  royal 
family,  for  Nebuchadnezzar,  the  king,  commanded  Ash- 
penaz,  the  master  of  the  eunuchs,  to  carry  with  him  to 
Babylon,  of  the  children  of  Israel,  some  who  were  "of 
the  seed  royal"  and  of  the  "nobles,"  "youths  in  whom 
there  was  no  blemish,  but  well  favored  and  skilful  in  all 
wisdom,  and  cunning  in  knowledge  and  understanding 
science,  and  such  as  had  ability  to  stand  in  the  king's 
palace,  and  that  he  should  teach  them  the  learning  and 
the  tongue  of  the  Chaldeans."     (Chap.  i.  3,  4.) 

Josephus  says  that  Daniel  was  the  son  of  Zedekiah, 
the  last  King  of  Judah,  whose  name  was  changed  from 
Mattaniah  by  Nebuchadnezzar,  when  he  made  him  king 
instead  of  Jehoiachin.  (See  2  Kings  xxiv.  17.)  It  is 
supposed  by  some  that  Daniel  and  his  three  companions 
were  made  eunuchs  in  the  palace  of  the  king,  as  Isaiah 
prophesied  to  King  Hezekiah.  (See  2  Kings  xx.  18: 
Is.  xxxix.  7.)  Of  this,  however,  some  doubt  may  be 
entertained.  The  Hebrew  word  saris  has  been  trans- 
lated, in  some  passages,  chamberlain  —  an  office  which 
did  not  at  a  later  day  necessarily  require  a  eunuch.  The 
words  of  the  prophecy  would,  however,  if  interpreted 
literally,  sustain  the  supposition. 

Daniel  must  have  been  prepared  for  his  future  office 
as  a  prophet  of  the  Lord,  first  by  his  education  and 
training  in  Jerusalem  before  he  was  carried  into  Babylon. 

Nebuchadnezzar  seems  to  have  desired  to  make  use  of 
the  knowledge  possessed  by  the  Jews  for  the  glory  of 
his  kingdom,  and  to  add  to  it  the  science  and  learning 
of  the  magicians,  astrologers,  and  soothsayers  of  Chaldea, 


[INTRODUCTION  1 5 

one  of  the  former  seats  of  the  Ancient  Church.  In  this 
way  Daniel  was  prepared  for  receiving  Divine  truths  and 
for  becoming  a  chosen  instrument  for  revealing  hidden 
things  by  means  of  which  the  state  of  the  church  could 
be  judged  and  known. 

He  did  not  understand  the  meaning  of  the  revelations 
given  to  him  in  their  relation  to  the  internal  or  spiritual 
state  of  the  church,  but  he  could  judge  of  the  state  of 
the  world  around  him,  and  the  worship  of  the  Baby- 
lonians which  was  opposite  to  the  worship  of  Jehovah. 
He  set  his  face  towards  Jerusalem  and  prayed  to  the 
God  of  Israel,  and  not  to  the  gods  of  the  nations  around 
him.  The  state  of  things  around  him  in  Nebuchad- 
nezzar's kingdom  was  typical  of  the  state  of  the  church 
when  the  love  of  dominion,  springing  from  the  love  of 
self,  prevails  over  love  to  the  Lord.  At  the  same  time 
he  was  enabled  to  describe  the  things  shown  to  him  in 
vision,  which  were  antetypes  of  natural  things  and  thus 
represented  and  signified  the  state  of  the  church  on 
earth.  His  very  name  has  reference  to  the  Divine  judg- 
ment, for  Daniel  means,  "  God  is  Judge." 

In  his  prophetic  character,  he  not  only  represents 
what  all  the  prophets  do  —  that  is,  the  truth  itself  which 
reveals  and  foretells  the  future  state  of  the  church  — 
but  in  a  special  and  peculiar  manner  he  represents  the 
Lord  as  a  revealer  of  Divine  truths  by  which  human 
souls  are  liberated  from  the  bondage  of  evil.  Daniel 
was  a  light  in  a  dark  place,  as  Joseph  was  in  Egypt. 
His  life  and  experiences  resemble  those  of  Joseph  in 
many  ways.  Carried  into  captivity,  he  learned  submis- 
sion in  order  that  he  might  command.     Amid  luxury  and 


if,  THE  Bl  ii  IK  i  IF   DANIEL 

vice  he  abstained  from  them,  and  was  thus,  like  fohn 
the  Baptist,  a  Nazarite — or  one  set  apart  and  conse- 
crated, by  a  vow,  to  stand  before  the  Lord  as  well  as 
before  an  earthly  king  in  a  pure  and  holy  life.  There  is 
something  sublime  in  his  self-denial  and  renunciation  of 
evil,  which  marks  him  in  a  peculiar  manner  as  a  repre- 
sentative of  the  Divine  prophet,  who  was  wiser  than  the 
sons  of  men,  and  "purer  than  snow  and  whiter  than 
milk." 

In  the  explanations  given  in  the  writings  of  the  New 
Church  of  that  portion  of  the  twenty-fourth  chapter  of 
Matthew  in  which  the  prophecy  of  Daniel  is  alluded  to, 
we  read  that  "Daniel  represents,  when  mentioned  by 
name,  whatsoever  is  prophetic  concerning  the  coming 
of  the  Lord,  and  (in  that  chapter  of  Matthew  especially) 
the  state  of  the  church  at  the  last  times."  (A.  C.  3652.) 
Again,  it  is  there  stated  that  the  expression,  "  spoken  of 
by  Daniel  the  prophet,  signifies  in  the  internal  sense, 
by  the  prophets  ;  for  where  any  prophet  is  mentioned 
by  name  in  the  Word,  it  does  not  mean  that  prophet, 
but  the  prophetic  Word  itself,  because  names  in  no  case 
penetrate  into  heaven  ;  nevertheless  each  prophet  has 
a  distinct  signification."  These  teachings  indicate  that 
Daniel  represents  the  Lord,  especially  as  He  manifests 
Himself  at  the  end  of  the  church,  and  in  His  coming  to 
judgment,  not  only  in  His  first  coming,  but  in  every 
appearing  of  the  Son  of  Man  when  the  darkness  and 
desolation  of  the  night  are  passing  away,  and  the  dawn 
is  breaking. 

It  is  well  to  note  here  that  Swedenborg,  in  the  print- 
ing of  the  work  called  "True  Christian  Religion,"  placed 


INTRODUCTION  1 7 

immediately  after  the  title  page,  two  passages  from  the 
Word  to  indicate  the  character  of  that  work.     The  first 
of  these  passages  is  from  the  book  of  Daniel  (chap.  vii. 
13,  14),  which   contains   Daniel's   vision    of  the   Son   of 
Man  with  the  clouds  of  heaven  ;  the  second  is  from  the 
book  of  the  Revelation  of  John  where  the  New  Heaven 
and  the  New  Earth  and  the  New  Jerusalem  are  spoken 
of.     This  not  only  shows  that  the  prophecy  of  Daniel 
treats    of    the    Lord's   coming,  but    it    also  connects  it 
directly  with  the  descent  of  the  New  Jerusalem.     Thus 
Swedenborg  indicated  plainly  what  modern  commenta- 
tors   have   partially    seen  —  the    resemblance    between 
Daniel's  visions  and  those  of  John  the  Revelator.     They 
are  similar,   not   only   because  they  treat   of    the   same 
subjects,  but  because  their  vision  was  of  a  similar  nature. 
The    subjects    principally  treated    of,   in  both  of    these 
books,  is  the  "  Consummation  of  the  Age,  or  the  Last 
Time  of  the  Church,"  the  "  Coming  of  the   Lord,"  and 
the  "New  Heaven  and  the  New  Church."     This  is  ex- 
plained in  chapter xiv.  of  the  "True  Christian  Religion," 
in  which  passages  from  these  two  prophetical  books  of 
the  Word  are  extensively  quoted. 

What  was  the  character  of  the  visions  of  Daniel  and 
John  is  fully  explained  in  n.  157  of  the  "True  Christian 
Religion."     There  we  read  : 

Since  by  the  spirit  of  man  is  meant  his  mind,  therefore  by 
"  being  in  the  spirit,"  which  is  sometimes  said  in  the  Word,  is 
meant  a  state  of  the  mind  separate  from  the  body  ;  and  be- 
cause in  that  state  the  prophets  saw  such  things  as  exist  in  the 
spiritual  world,  therefore  that  is  called  the  vision  of  God.  Their 
state,  then,  was  such  as  that  of  spirits  themselves  and  angels  in 


Tg  THE  BOOK  OF  DANIEL 

that  world.  In  that  state  the  spirit  of  man  like  his  mind,  as  to 
sight,  may  be  transported  from  place  to  place,  the  body  re- 
maining in  its  own.  This  is  the  state  in  which  I  have  now 
been  for  twenty-six  years,  with  this  difference,  that  I  have  been 
in  the  spirit  and  at  the  same  time  in  the  body,  and  only  some- 
times out  of  the  body.  That  Ezekiel,  Zechariah,  Daniel,  and 
John  when  he  wrote  the  Revelation,  were  in  that  state  is  evident 
from  the  following  passages. 

Quotations  are  then  given  from  these  prophets  and 
from  John. 

There  can  be  no  doubt  that  Daniel  before  he  was 
carried  into  captivity  had  been  educated  in  the  law  of 
Moses  and  in  a  knowledge  of  Jehovah.  He  obeyed  and 
worshipped  the  God  of  Israel  when  he  was  in  Babylon, 
rather  than  the  false  gods  around  him.  He  had  strength 
to  resist  the  seductive  influences  of  the  royal  court  of 
Babylon,  because  of  his  previous  education  and  training 
at  Jerusalem.  He  was  in  the  king's  house,  but  did  not 
eat  of  the  king's  meat.  Thus  must  every  child  of  God 
who  would  become  gifted  with  a  knowledge  of  heavenly 
and  Divine  things,  be  prepared  by  abstinence  from  the' 
indulgence  of  selfish  and  worldly  loves  for  spiritual  illu- 
mination. But  Daniel  was  not  only  prepared  by  his 
education  in  Jerusalem,  but  by  instruction  in  the  knowl- 
edge of  ancient  things,  or  in  the  learning  of  the  Chal- 
deans, in  the  palace  of  the  king  and  by  his  direction. 
Thus  he  was  like  Moses,  who  was  "learned  in  all  the 
wisdom  of  the  Egyptians."  (Acts  vii.  .22.)  We  may 
believe  that  he  received  from  the  Magi,  or  wise  nun  of 
that  country,  a  knowledge  of  natural  science,  so  tar  as 
it   was   known   at   that  day,  and    especially  of  the   cone- 


INTRODUCTION 


19 


spondence  of  earthly  things  with  heavenly.  He  was 
thus  prepared  for  his  holy  office,  for  the  opening  of  his 
spiritual  sight,  and  for  his  actual  intromission  into  the 
spiritual  world.  In  the  passage  already  quoted  from  the 
"True  Christian  Religion"  (n.  157),  the  nature  of  his 
vision  is  plainly  taught.  It  was  not  simply  a  mental 
state  due  to  natural  causes,  but  an  actual  opening  of  his 
spiritual  senses  so  that  he  was  present  with  angels  and 
spirits  in  the  spiritual  world. 

It  may  be  thought  from  its  being  said  that  an  angel 
spoke  to  him,  and  especially  that  Michael  helped  him 
and  Gabriel  spoke  to  him  (chap.  viii.  16;  ix.  21  ;  x.  13), 
that  he  was  instructed  as  to  the  spiritual  meaning  of  his 
visions  by  an  individual  angel.  But  we  are  informed 
in  the  work  concerning  "  Heaven  and  its  Wonders  and 
concerning  Hell,"  that  Michael,  Gabriel,  and  Raphael 
are  only  angelic  societies  which  are  so  named  from  their 
functions.     (No.  52.) 

Are  we  not  to  understand  therefore,  that  while  Daniel, 
Ezekiel,  Zechariah,  and  others  had  visions  of  angels, 
one  or  more  appearing  to  them,  that  they  were  brought 
into  actual  communication  with  one  or  more  heavenly 
societies,  so  that  they  received  by  influx  some  knowledge 
from  these  societies  in  regard  to  the  Lord  and  His  love 
and  what  He  was  about  to  do  for  human  redemption, 
the  individual  angels  serving  only  as  representatives  or 
messengers.  The  prophets  were  not  instructed  as  to 
the  spiritual  meaning  of  these  heavenly  communications. 
Each  heavenly  society  has  its  own  peculiar  function. 
The  function  of  the  society  denoted  in  the  Word  by 
Gabriel  must  have  reference  to  the  Lord's  coming  to 


20  THE  B<  X  IK  «  IF  DANIEL 

judgment.  It  was  Gabriel  who  announced  the  Lord's 
birth  to  the  Virgin  Mary.  This  view  may  be  fully  i  on- 
firmed  by  reference  to  the  work  entitled  "The  Apoca- 
lypse Revealed  "  (n.  548),  where  we  are  taught  that  by 

Michael  is  meant  the  ministry  of  those  who  prove  from 
the  Word  that  the  Lord  is  the  God  of  heaven  and  earth, 
and  that  God  the  Father  and  He  are  one,  as  the  soul 
and  body  are  one,  also  that  man  must  live  according  to 
the  precepts  of  the  Decalogue,  and  that  he  then  has 
charity  and  faith  ;  and  that  "by  Gabriel  is  meant  the 
ministry  of  those  who  teach  from  the  Word  that  Jehovah 
came  into  the  world,  and  that  the  human  which  He  there 
begat  is  the  Son  of  God  and  Divine." 

From  these  things  adduced  from  the  writings  of  Swe- 
denborg,  the  Servant  of  the  Lord,  in  making  known  His 
Second  Coming,  something  may  be  understood  of  the 
prophetic  character  of  Daniel. 


DANIEL  IN  BABYLON 


CHAPTER    I. 


21 


In  the  third  year  of  the  reign  of  Jehoiakim  king  of  [udah 
came  Nebuchadnezzar  king  of  Babylon  unto  Jerusalem,  and 

2  besieged  it.  And  the  Lord  gave  Jehoiakim  king  of  Judah 
into  his  hand,  with  part  of  the  vessels  of  the  house  of  God  ; 
and  he  carried  them  into  the  land  of  Shinar  to  the  house  of 
his  god  :  and  he  brought  the  vessels  into  the  treasure  house 

3  of  his  god.  And  the  king  spake  unto  Ashpenaz  the  master 
of  his  eunuchs,  that  he  should  bring  in  certain  of  the  children 

4  of  Israel,  even  of  the  seed  royal  and  of  the  nobles  ;  youths 
in  whom  was  no  blemish,  but  well  favoured,  and  skilful  in 
all  wisdom,  and  cunning  in  knowledge,  and  understanding 
science,  and  such  as  had  ability  to  stand  in  the  king's  palace  ; 
and  that  he  should  teach  them  the  learning  and  the  tongue 

5  of  the  Chaldeans.  And  the  king  appointed  for  them  a  daily 
portion  of  the  king's  meat,  and  of  the  wine  which  he  drank, 
and  that  they  should  be  nourished  three  years ;   that  at  the 

6  end  thereof  they  might  stand  before  the  king.  Now  among 
these  were,  of  the  children  of  Judah,  Daniel,   Hananiah, 

7  Mishael,  and  Azariah.  And  the  prince  of  the  eunuchs  gave 
names  unto  them  ;  unto  Daniel  he  gave  the  name  of  Belte- 
shazzar ;  and  to  Hananiah,  tf/Shadrach  ;  and  to  Mishael,  of 

8  Meshach  ;  and  to  Azariah,  of  Abednego.  But  Daniel  pur- 
posed in  his  heart  that  he  would  not  defile  himself  with  the 
king's  meat,  nor  with  the  wine  which  he  drank ;  therefore 
he  requested  of  the  prince  of  the  eunuchs  that  he  might  not 

9  defile  himself.     Now  God  made  Daniel  to  find  favour  and 
io  compassion  in  the  sight  of  the  prince  of  the  eunuchs.     And 

the  prince  of  the  eunuchs  said  unto  Daniel,  I  fear  my  lord 

the  king,  who  hath  appointed  your  meat  and   your  drink  : 

for  why  should  he  see  your  faces  worse  liking  than  the  youths 

1 1  which  are  of  your  own  age  ?  so  should  ye  endanger  my  head 


2  2 


111],  i;t  m  iK  ( »1    DANIEL 


with  the  king.     Then  said  Daniel  to  the  steward,  whom  the 

prince  of  the  eunuchs  had  appointed  over  Daniel,  Hananiah, 

i  2  Mishael,  and  Azariah:   Prove  thy  servants.  I   beseech  thee, 

ten  days  ;  and  let  them  give  us  pulse  to  eat,  and  water  to 

13  drink.  Then  let  our  countenances  be  looked  upon  before 
thee,  and  the  countenance  of  the  youths   that  eat  of  the 

14  king's  meat ;  and  as  thou  seest,  deal  with  thy  servants.  So 
he   hearkened   unto   them   in  this  matter,  and   proved  them 

15  ten  davs.  And  at  the  end  of  ten  days  their  countenances 
appeared   fairer,  and  they  were  fatter  in  flesh,  than  all    the 

16  youths  which  did  eat  of  the  king's  meat.  So  the  steward 
took  away  their  meat,  and  the  wine  that  they  should  drink, 

17  and  gave  them  pulse.  Now  as  for  these  four  youths,  God 
gave  them  knowledge  and  skill  in  all  learning  and  wisdom  : 
and  Daniel  had  understanding  in  all  visions  and  dreams. 

18  And  at  the  end  of  the  days  which  the  king  had  appointed 
for  bringing  them  in,  the  prince   of  the   eunuchs   brought 

19  them  in  before  Nebuchadnezzar.  And  the  king  communed 
with  them  ;  and  among  them  all  was  found  none  like  Daniel, 
Hananiah,  Mishael,  and  Azariah:  therefore  stood  they  be- 

20  fore  the  king.  And  in  every  matter  of  wisdom  and  under- 
standing, concerning  which  the  king  inquired  of  them,  he 
found  them  ten  times  better  than  all  the  magicians  and  en- 

21  chanters  that  were  in  all  his  realm.  And  Daniel  continued 
even  unto  the  first  year  of  King  Cyrus. 


REFERENCES. 


Numbers 

1,  2 I'.  I'. 

2 A.C.  1183 

3-21 P-  ''• 

19,  20 A.  C.  5223;    A.  E.  675 

20 A.  R.  101 


DANIEL  IN  BABYLON  03 


COMMENTARY. 

DANIEL    IX    BABYLON. 

The  carrying  away  of  the  Jews  into  Babylon,  by  Ne- 
buchadnezzar, in  the  reign  of  Jehoiakim,  King  of  Judah, 
is  an  historical  fact.  There  seems  to  be  some  doubt, 
however,  as  to  the  precise  date  of  the  event.  The  open- 
ing verse  of  chapter  one  of  this  book  is  in  these  words  : 

In  the  third  year  of  the  reign  of  Jehoiakim  King  of  Judah 
came  Nebuchadnezzar  King  of  Babylon  unto  Jerusalem,  and 
besieged  it. 

In  the  prophecy  of  Jeremiah,  xxxvi.  1,  we  read  : 

And  it  came  to  pass  in  the  fourth  year  of  Jehoiakim,  the  son 
of  Josiah,  King  of  Judah,  this  word  came  unto  Jeremiah  from 
the  Lord. 

Then  follows  the  prophecy  which  was  read  before  the 
king  and  so  angered  him  that  he  burnt  up  the  roll  on 
which  it  was  written,  piecemeal,  in  the  fire  by  which  he 
was  warming  himself  in  his  winter  palace. 

Dr.  William  Smith,  remarking  on  the  apparent  diffi- 
culty in  the  dates,  says  : 

The  simplest  explanation  is,  that  the  advance  of  Nebuchad- 
nezzar from  Babylon  began  in  the  third  year  of  Jehoiakim,  but 
that  Jerusalem  was  not  taken  until  the  fourth. 

We  would  emphasize  the  doctrine  of  the  New  Church 
familiar  to  our  readers,  that  the  Word  of  the  Lord,  as 
given  in  history  and  prophecy,  was  written  solely  for  the 
sake  of  its  spiritual  meaning.  We  need  not  be  troubled, 
therefore,    concerning    any   apparent    difficulties    in    its 


24 


THE  BOOK  OF  DANIEL 


literal  statements.  The  "third  year"  denotes  a  state 
of  fulness  ;  here  it  denotes  a  state  in  which  evil  had 
come  to  the  full,  when  there  was  a  complete  vastation 
of  the  chinch.  Its  worship  became  profane  and  idola- 
trous, and  it  fell  under  the  dominion  of  the  love  of  ruling 
from  the  love  of  self. 

It  may  he  well,  however,  to  refer  to  some  of-  the  his- 
torical facts  connected  with  the  story  of  the  captivity, 
as  they  now  seem  to  have  been  established.  Jehoiakim, 
whose  original  name  was  Eliakim,  was  set  up  to  he  King 
of  Judah,  by  Necho,  King  of  Egypt. 

After  the  battle  of  Carchemish,  near  the  Euphrates, 
when  the  Egyptians  were  defeated  by  the  Babylonians, 
Jerusalem  was  besieged  and  captured  by  Nebuchadnez- 
zar. He  first  took  Jehoiakim  prisoner,  but  afterwards 
suffered  him  to  remain  in  Jerusalem  as  a  vassal  king, 
tributary  to  the  Babylonian  power.  After  three  years, 
Jehoiakim  rebelled  against  Nebuchadnezzar.  Jerusalem 
w-as  then  again  attacked,  not  by  Nebuchadnezzar  in  per- 
son, hut  by  numerous  bands  of  Syrians,  Moabites,  and 
Ammonites,  who  were  then  subject  to  the  King  of  Bab- 
ylon. Jehoiakim  was  killed,  his  body  was  cast  out,  and 
afterwards  buried  in  an  ignominious  manner  beyond  the 
gates  of  Jerusalem,  as  prophesied  by  Jeremiah. 

Sometime  afterwards  Jehoiachin,  the  son  of  Jehoia- 
kim, sometimes  called  Jechoniah,  reigned  for  three 
months.  But  there  was  again  a  rebellious  spirit  mani- 
fested, and  Jehoiachin  was  taken  prisoner,  carried  into 
Babylon,  and  held  there  in  close  captivity  for  thirty-six 
years.  A  large  number  of  captives  —  among  them 
Daniel  and  his  royal   companions  —  were  carried   away 


DANIEL  IN  BABYLON 


25 


at  the  first  capture  of  Jerusalem,  and  another  portion, 
said  to  number  ten  thousand,  were  taken  into  captivity 
with  Jehoiachin.     (2  Kings  xxiv.  14.) 

The  fact  is  now  established  that  Nebuchadnezzar  was 
coregent  with  his  father  Nabopolasser,  in  the  latter  part 
of  his  father's  reign  and  that  he  was  called  king  by 
anticipation.  At  the  time  of  the  battle  of  Carchemish 
and  the  first  siege  of  Jerusalem,  he  was  not  sole  and 
absolute  King  of  Babylon.  The  time  of  Daniel's  pro- 
bation, according  to  chapter  one,  verse  five,  was  three 
years,  but  it  was  in  the  second  year  of  the  king's  actual 
reign  that  he  was  brought  before  him  to  interpret  his 
dream. 

These  things  will  not  be  regarded,  however,  as  of 
primary  importance  if  we  believe  that  the  literal  narra- 
tive is  simply  a  vehicle  for  communicating  the  spiritual 
meaning,  which  relates  not  to  the  rise  and  fall  of  king- 
doms, but  to  the  state  of  the  church  and  of  the  human 
mind  in  which  the  church  is  established. 

The  spiritual  sense  of  the  Word  is  threefold.  In  its 
highest  or  inmost  sense  it  treats  of  the  Lord  and  the 
glorification  of  His  humanity,  in  the  next  lower  sense  it 
reveals  the  laws  and  processes  of  man's  regeneration, 
and  in  its  lowest  sense  —  called  the  historical-spiritual 
sense  —  it  treats  of  the  different  states  of  the  church. 
The  prophecy  of  Daniel  relates  more  particularly  to  the 
consummation  of  the  church  and  the  coming  of  the  Lord 
to  judgment. 

Jehoiakim,  it  is  plain  from  Jeremiah,  was  a  profane 
and  idolatrous  king.  He  represents,  therefore,  the  evil 
love  of  dominion  in  the  church,  which  leads  to  profana- 


2f)  THE  B0<  >K  I  'I    DANIE  I 

tion.  What  then  is  represented  by  Nebuchadnezzar  ? 
Both  were  kings,  and  both  sought  dominion.  The  king- 
dom of  Judah  was  a  theocracy.  The  civil  power  and  the 
ecclesiastical  power  were  united,  and  Jehovah  alone  was 
the  head  of  the  church.  Nevertheless,  there  was  a 
priesthood  and  a  sovereignty.  When  these  became 
perverted  the  whole  church  was  perverted. 

The  nations  and  peoples  outside  of  Canaan  repre- 
sented the  natural  or  external  principles  of  human  life 
and  the  natural  degree  of  the  mind.  When  this  plane 
of  the  mind  is  altogether  separated  from  what  is  spiritual, 
the  natural  love  of  dominion  seeks  preeminence.  This 
is  destructive  of  the  church  and  of  all  genuine  religion. 
Nebuchadnezzar  represents  this  natural  evil  love  which 
seeks  to  make  all  things  subservient  to  it. 

In  A.  C.  10227,  we  read: 

By  Nebuchadnezzar,  King  of  Babel,  is  meant  the  profane 
that  vastates,  which  is  the  case  when  the  truths  and  goods  of 
the  church  serve  for  means  to  favor  the  evils  of  the  love  of  self 
and  of  the  world,  by  wrong  application,  for  in  such  case  the 
evils  of  those  loves  are  inwardly  in  the  heart,  and  the  holy 
things  of  the  church  are  in  the  mouth. 

When  the  love  of  self  takes  the  place  of  love  to  the 
Lord  within  the  church,  then  the  church  falls  a  prey  to 
the  natural  love  of  dominion,  exercised  on  the  natural 
plane  of  life,  and  all  things  are  made  subservient  to  it. 
Nebuchadnezzar  was  a  waster  and  destroyer.  It  was 
predicted  by  Jeremiah  that  all  who  remained  in  Jerusa 
lem  would  be  destroyed  by  him.     (Chap,  xxxi.) 

Now  by  the  King  of  Babylon  coming  against  Jerusa- 
lem, is  meant  that  the  church  comes  under  the  dominion 


DANIEL   IN    BABYLON  2J 

of  this  natural  evil  love,  and  those  within  the  church 
who  have  profaned  holy  things  will  lose  all  spiritual 
freedom.  This  is  the  spiritual  meaning  of  Jeremiah's 
prediction. 

But  the  church  may  continue  to  exist,  externally,  with 
all  its  outward  forms  of  worship,  after  it  has  lost  its 
spirituality  and  has  come  under  the  evil  love  of  domin- 
ion. The  captivity  in  Babylon  is  the  bondage  of  the 
man  of  the  church  to  this  natural  evil  love  of  dominion, 
which  usurps  the  place  of  love  to  the  Lord.  The  indi- 
vidual who  exercises  it  claims  the  worship  which  belongs 
to  the  Lord  alone.  The  profanation  of  holy  things  is 
represented  by  the  carrying  away  of  the  sacred  vessels 
out  of  the  temple  by  Nebuchadnezzar,  and  their  being 
used  at  Belshazzar's  feast  by  the  revellers. 

In  order  to  have  a  general  idea  of  the  spiritual  mean- 
ing of  this  book  called  Daniel,  we  must  think,  in  the 
first  place,  of  the  state  of  the  Jewish  Church  as  depicted 
by  Isaiah,  Jeremiah,  and  Ezekiel.  The  Jewish  Church 
had  already  profaned  and  adulterated  holy  things.  The 
first  conquest  of  the  kingdom  of  Israel,  and  the  captiv- 
ity of  its  people  by  the  Assyrians,  denotes  the  perversion 
of  the  intellectual  principle  of  the  mind  and  its  subjec- 
tion to  false  reasonings,  while  the  conquest  of  the  king- 
dom of  Judah,  and  the  captivity  of  its  people  in  Babylon, 
denotes  the  subjection  of  the  will  principle  to  the  infernal 
love  of  dominion. 

The  Jewish  Church,  at  the  period  of  the  second  cap- 
tivity, was  vastated.  If  it  had  not  been  Nebuchadnezzar 
could  not  so  easily  have  led  the  men  of  Judah  into  cap- 
tivity, after   destroying   so  many  of  the  inhabitants  of 


28  THE  BOOK  <  >!■    DANIEL 

Jerusalem,  But  while  the  church  in  its  external  form 
may  be  destroyed,  when  men  cease  to  Love  and  obey  its 
holy  truths,  yet  these  truths  themselves  can  never  be 
wholly  extinguished.  Even  after  the  church  has  fallen 
under  the  dominion  of  the  love  of  self,  some  truths  re- 
main in  the  minds  of  a  few.  There  is  a  "  small  rem- 
nant"  by  which  the  human  race  can  be  saved  from  utter 
extinction. 

Daniel  and  the  other  children  of  the  King's  seed, 
"well-favored  and  in  whom  there  was  no  blemish,"  rep- 
resent the  truths  of  the  church  which  remain,  and  serve 
as  new  seed  from  which  faith  in  the  Lord  may  be  born 
anew. 

The  gift  of  prophecy  was  not  entirely  lost  even  after 
the  Jewish  Church  became  corrupt.  The  prophets  con- 
demned the  evils  around  them  —  Isaiah  and  Jeremiah  in 
Jerusalem,  and  Ezekiel  and  Daniel  in  Babylon — and 
they  suffered  much,  thus  representing  how  the  holy 
truths  of  the  church  and  the  Lord  Himself  suffered  at 
the  hands  of  evil  men. 

Daniel  and  his  companions  represent  those  who  are 
in  states  of  innocence,  with  whom  the  truth  is  preserved 
in  dark  and  evil  states  of  the  church  and  amid  much 
persecution.  They  would  not  eat  of  the  king's  meat  in 
Babylon,  some  of  which,  doubtless,  was  offered  to  idols. 

Nebuchadnezzar's  command  to  his  eunuch,  or  cham- 
berlain, to  bring  these  children  of  Judah  into  his  palace 
that  they  might  be  taught  the  learning  and  tongue  of 
the  Chaldeans,  denotes  the  will  and  purpose  of  those 
who  are  in  the  love  of  dominion  from  the  love  of  self  to 
make  the  truths  of  the  church  and  all  its  holy  principles 
subservient  to  their  own  selfish  ends. 


DANIEL  IN  BABYLON  29 

In  the  historical-spiritual  sense,  the  particulars  related 
in  this  chapter  have  reference  to  the  state  of  the  Jewish 
Church  at  its  end,  especially  at  the  time  of  the  Lord's 
coming,  when  its  consummation  was  complete.  They 
also  refer  to  the  state  of  the  Christian  Church  at  its 
end,  especially  when  the  Church  of  Rome  attempted  to 
bring  the  whole  world  under  its  dominion.  The  Roman 
Catholic  religion  is  denoted  by  Babylon,  but  wherever 
the  infernal  love  of  dominion  prevails  there  is  Babylon. 
At  the  end  of  every  church  the  natural  selfish  love  of 
ruling  over  others  prevails.  Its  object  is  worldly  gain 
or  power.  The  devil  offered  the  Lord  all  the  kingdoms 
of  this  world,  and  the  glory  of  them,  if  He  would  fall 
down  and  worship  him,  but  the  Lord  answered  him  : 
"Thou  shalt  worship  the  Lord  thy  God  and  Him  only 
shalt  thou  serve." 

The  Roman  Church  has  distinguished  itself  by  efforts 
to  obtain  civil  power  for  the  sake  of  maintaining  its  own 
supremacy.  But  this  end  can  no  longer  be  secured,  since 
"Babylon  has  fallen."  Since  the  Last  Judgment  this 
power  has  been  fully  overcome  in  the  spiritual  world,  so 
that  neither  the  Roman  Church,  nor  any  other,  can 
henceforth  obtain  power  over  the  souls  of  men,  or  de- 
prive them  of  spiritual  freedom.  The  church  will  not 
rule  over  the  State,  nor  will  the  State  rule  over  the 
church,  but  each  will  perform  its  own  use  in  the  world 
and  fill  its  own  proper  sphere. 

As  to  Daniel  he  not  only  represents  the  truth  remain- 
ing at  the  end  of  the  Church,  but,  in  the  highest  sense, 
he  represents  the  Lord  Himself  as  Divine  Truth  coming 
to  judge  the  state  of  the  church. 


30 


THE  HOOK  OF  DANIEL 


I  lis  conduct  in  refusing  the  king's  meat  and  feeding 
on  pulse,  beautifully  shows  forth  the  nature  of  spiritual 
abstinence  from  natural  evil  delights  which  would  de- 
stroy all  remains  of  good  in  the  soul. 

The  Lord,  while  He  was  tempted  as  to  all  the  evils  to 
which  humanity  was  subject,  resisted  and  overcame  all 
these  evils  of  every  degree,  and  thus  accomplished  the 
work  of  redemption  from  the  evil  power. 

He  fulfilled  the  law  of  the  Nazarite,  not  naturally  — 
for  He  "came  eating  and  drinking"  —  but  spiritually, 
that  is  in  a  perfectly  pure  and  holy  life.  He  was  a 
Nazarite,  indeed,  "  purer  than  snow  and  whiter  than 
milk." 

In  all  matters  of  wisdom  and  understanding  Daniel 
and  his  three  companions  were  found  to  be  ten  times 
better  than  all  the  magicians  and  astrologers  in  the 
kingdom. 

This  was  when  they  were  brought  before  the  king  at 
the  end  of  their  probation.  When  the  Lord  stood  in 
the  temple  before  the  doctors,  He  was  found  to  possess 
wisdom  much  greater  than  theirs.  Wherever  the  Divine 
Truth  begins  to  gain  a  permanent  influence  in  the  human 
mind,  it  will  be  found  to  be  higher  than  all  the  reason- 
ings of  the  natural  man.  Daniel  raised  to  power  in 
Babylon  represents  the  supremacy  of  Divine  truth,  and 
his  three  companions  represent  all  inferior  and  subordi- 
nate truths  of  different  degrees. 

As  Nebuchadnezzar  became  acquainted  with  Daniel, 
and  learned  what  wisdom  he  possessed,  he  decided  to 
make  use  of  it  to  increase  his  own  power.  He  found 
that  it  gave  him  more  power  than  all  the  knowledge  of 


DANIEL    IN    BAIiYLOX 


31 


the  magicians  and  astrologers.  Truths  of  a  spiritual 
nature  give  greater  power  for  evil  as  well  as  for  good, 
but  they  are  finally  taken  away  from  those  who  do  not 
make  good  use  of  them. 

In  the  last  verse  of  this  chapter  it  is  written  :  "And 
Daniel  continued  even  unto  the  first  year  of  King 
Cyrus";  and  in  the  twenty-eighth  verse  of  the  sixth 
chapter,  we  find  these  words  :  "  So  this  Daniel  pros- 
pered in  the  reign  of  Darius,  and  in  the  reign  of  Cyrus, 
the  Persian."  It  was  Cyrus,  King  of  Persia,  the  real 
conquerer  of  Babylon,  who  assisted  the  Jewish  people  to 
return  to  their  own  land,  and  to  rebuild  the  temple  at 
Jerusalem,  restoring  to  them  the  vessels  of  gold  and 
silver  that  had  not  been  destroyed. 

We  are  told  in  A.  C.  8989  that  "  Cyrus  represents  the 
Lord  as  to  the  Humanity." 

The  life  of  Daniel  in  Babylon,  with  the  other  captive 
Jews,  represents  the  state  of  the  church  at  its  consum- 
mation, when  the  truth  is  held  in  subjection  to  the 
power  of  evil  and  remains  only  with  a  few  ;  but  the  be- 
ginning of  the  reign  of  Cyrus  denotes  the  coming  of  the 
Lord,  first  to  restore  natural  freedom  and  then  to  estab- 
lish a  New  Church  in  which  the  truth  will  be  all  power- 
ful to  overcome  the  dominion  of  evil,  and  whose  mem- 
bers will  acknowledge  the  Lord  in  His  Divine  Humanity 
and  worship  Him  alone. 


THE   BOOK  <  )l-    DAM  I  I 


CHAPTER    LI. 


And   in    the   second  year  of  the  reign  of  Nebuchadnez- 
zar Nebuchadnezzar  dreamed  dreams;  and  his  spirit  was 

2  troubled,  and  his  sleep  brake  from  him.  Then  the  king 
commanded  to  call  the  magicians,  and  the  enchanters,  and 
the  sorcerers,  and  the  Chaldeans,  for  to  tell  the   king  his 

3  dreams.  So  they  came  in  and  stood  before  the  king.  And 
the  king  said  unto  them,  I  have  dreamed  a  dream,  and  my 

4  spirit  is  troubled  to  know  the  dream.  Then  spake  the 
Chaldeans  to  the  king  in  the  Syrian  language,  0  king,  live 
for  ever  :   tell  thy  servants  the  dream,  and  we  will  shew  the 

5  interpretation.  The  king  answered  and  said  to  the  Chal- 
deans, The  thing  is  gone  from  me:  if  ye  make  not  known 
unto  me  the  dream  and  the  interpretation  thereof,  ye  shall 
be  cut  in  pieces,  and  your  houses  shall  be  made  a  dunghill. 

6  But  if  ye  shew  the  dream  and  the  interpretation  thereof,  ye 
shall  receive  of  me  gifts  and  rewards  and  great  honour  : 
therefore  shew  me  the  dream  and  the  interpretation  thereof. 

7  They  answered  the  second  time  and  said.  Let  the  king  tell 
his  servants  the  dream,  and  we  will   shew  the  interpretation. 

8  The  king  answered  and  said,  I  know  of  a  certainty  that  ye 
would  gain  time,  because  ye  see  the  thing  is  gone  from  me. 

9  lint  if  ye  make  not  known  unto  me  the  dream,  there  is  but 
one  law  for  you  :  for  ye  have  prepared  lying  and  corrupt 
words  to  speak  before  me,  till  the  time  be  changed  :  there- 
fore tell  me  the  dream,  and  I  shall  know  that   ye  can  shew 

io  me  the  interpretation  thereof.  The  Chaldeans  answered 
before  the  king,  and  said.  There  is  not  a  man  upon  the  earth 
that  can  shew  the  king's  matter  :  forasmuch  as  no  king,  lord, 
nor  ruler,  hath  asked   such  a   thing   of  any  magician   or  en- 

n  chanter,  or  Chaldean.  And  it  is  a  rare  thing  that  the  king 
requireth,  and  there  is  none  other  that  can   shew  it   before 


NEBUCHADNEZZAR'S  FIRST  DREAM 


33 


the  king,  except  the  gods,  whose  dwelling  is  not  with  flesh. 

12  For  this   cause   the   king  was  angry  and  very  furious,  and 

13  commanded  to  destroy  all  the  wise  men  of  Babylon.  So  the 
decree  went  forth,  and  the  wise  men  were  to  be  slain  ;  and 

14  they  sought  Daniel  and  his  companions  to  be  slain.  Then 
Daniel  returned  answer  with  counsel  and  prudence  to  Ari- 
och   the  captain  of  the  king's  guard,  which  was  gone  forth 

15  to  slay  the  wise  men  of  Babylon  ;  he  answered  and  said  to 
Arioch  the  king's  captain,  Wherefore  is  the  decree  so  urgent 
from  the  king?     Then  Arioch  made  the  thing  known  to  Dan- 

16  iel.  And  Daniel  went  in,  and  desired  of  the  king  that  he 
would  appoint  him  a  time,  and  he  would  shew  the  king  the 
interpretation. 

1 7  Then  Daniel  went  to  his  house,  and  made  the  thing 
known  to  Hananiah,  Mishael,  and  Azariah,  his  companions  : 

18  that  they  would  desire  mercies  of  the  God  of  heaven  con- 
cerning this  secret ;  that  Daniel  and  his  companions  should 

19  not  perish  with  the  rest  of  the  wise  men  of  Babylon.  Then 
was  the  secret  revealed  unto  Daniel  in  a  vision  of  the  night. 

20  Then  Daniel  blessed  the  God  of  heaven.  Daniel  answered 
and  said,  Blessed  be  the  name  of  God  for  ever  and  ever  :  for 
wisdom  and  might  are  his  :  and  he  changeth  the  times  and 

21  the  seasons:  he  removeth  kings,  and  setteth  up  kings:  he 
giveth  wisdom  unto  the  wise,  and  knowledge  to  them  that 

22  know  understanding:  he  revealeth  the  deep  and  secret 
things  :  he  knoweth  what  is  in  the  darkness,  and  the  light 

23  dwelleth  with  him.  I  thank  thee,  and  praise  thee,  O  thou 
God  of  my  fathers,  who  hast  given  me  wisdom  and  might, 
and  hast  now  made  known  unto  me  what  we  desired  of  thee  : 

24  for  thou  hast  made  known  unto  us  the  king's  matter.  There- 
fore Daniel  went  in  unto  Arioch,  whom  the  king  had  ap- 
pointed to  destroy  the  wise  men  of  Babylon  :  he  went  and 
said  thus  unto  him  :  Destroy  not  the  wise  men  of  Babylon  : 


34 


I  III     IK  x  IK    <  »l'    1) AMI   I 


bring   me  in  before  the  king,  and    I  will   shew  unto  the  king 
the  interpretation. 

25  Then  Arioch  brought  in  Daniel  before  the  king  in  haste. 
and  said  thus  unto  him.  I  have  found  a  man  of  the  children 
of  the  captivity  of  Judah,  that  will  make  known  unto  the  king 

2(>  the  interpretation.  The  king  answered  and  said  to  Daniel, 
whose  name  was  Belteshazzar,  Art  thou  able  to  make  known 
unto  me  the  dream  which  1    have  seen,  and  the  interpreta- 

2-  tion  thereof?  Daniel  answered  before  the  king,  and  said, 
The  set  ret  which  the  king  hath  demanded  can  neither  wise 
men,  enchanters,  magicians,  nor  soothsayer-,  shew  unto  the 

28  king  ;  but  there  is  a  God  in  heaven  that  revealeth  secrets, 
and  he  hath  made  known  to  the  king  Nebuchadnezzar  what 
shall  be  in  the  latter  days.     Thy  dream,  and  the  visions  of 

29  thy  head  upon  thy  bed,  are  these  :  as  for  thee,  0  king,  thy 
thoughts  came  into  thy  mind  upon  thy  bed,  what  should 
come  to  pass  hereafter  :   and  he  that  revealeth  secrets  hath 

30  made  known  to  thee  what  shall  come  to  pass.  But  as  for 
me,  this  sec  ret  is  not  revealed  to  me  for  any  wisdom  that  I 
have  more  than  any  living,  but  to  the  intent  that  the  inter- 
pretation may  be  made  known   to  the   king,  and   that   thou 

:;  1  inayest  know  the  thoughts  of  thy  heart.  Thou.  (>  king, 
sawest,  and  behold  a  great  image.  This  image,  which  was 
mighty,  and   whose   brightness   was   excellent,  stood    before 

32  thee;  and  the  aspect  thereof  was  terrible.  As  tor  this  im- 
age, his  head  was  of  fine  gold,  his  breast  and  his   arms   of 

33  silver,  his  belly  and  his  thighs  of  brass,  his  legs  of  iron,  his 

34  feet  part'of  iron,  and  part  of  clay.  Thou  sawest  till  that  a 
stone  was  cut  out  without  hands,  which  smote  the  image 
upon  his  feet  that  were  of  iron  and  clay,  and  brake  them  in 

35  pieces.  Then  was  the  iron,  the  clay,  the  brass,  the  silver, 
and  the  gold,  broken  in  pieces  together,  and  became  like 
tin.'   chaff  of  the  summer  threshing   floors  ;    and    the  wind 


NEBUCHADNEZZAR'S   FIRST  DREAM 


35 


carried  them  away,  that  no  place  was  found  for  them  :  and 
the  stone  that  smote  the  image  became  a  great  mountain. 

36  and  filled  the  whole  earth.     This  is  the  dream  ;  and  we  will 

37  tell  the  interpretation  thereof  before  the  king.  Thou,  O 
king,  art  king  of  kings,  unto  whom  the  God  of  heaven  hath 
given  the  kingdom,  the  power,  and  the  strength,  and  the 

38  glory  ;  and  wheresoever  the  children  of  men  dwell,  the 
beasts  of  the  field  and  the  fowls  of  the  heaven  hath  he  given 
into  thine  hand,  and  hath  made  thee  to  rule  over  them  all  : 

39  thou  art  the  head  of  gold.  And  after  thee  shall  arise  an- 
other kingdom  inferior  to  thee  ;  and  another  third  kingdom 

40  of  brass,  which  shall  bear  rule  over  all  the  earth.  And  the 
fourth  kingdom  shall  be  strong  as  iron  :  forasmuch  as  iron 
breaketh  in  pieces  and  subdueth  all  things  :   and  as  iron  that 

41  crusheth  all  these,  shall  it  break  in  pieces  and  crush.  And 
whereas  thou  sawest  the  feet  and  toes,  part  of  potters'  clay, 
and  part  of  iron,  it  shall  be  a  divided  kingdom  ;  but  there 
shall  be  in  it  of  the  strength  of  the  iron,  forasmuch  as  thou 

42  sawest  the  iron  mixed  with  miry  clay.  And  as  the  toes  of 
the  feet  were  part  of  iron,  and  part  of  clay,  so  the  kingdom 

43  shall  be  partly  strong,  and  partly  broken.  And  whereas 
thou  sawest  the  iron  mixed  with  miry  clay,  they  shall  mingle 
themselves  with  the  seed  of  men ;  but  they  shall  not  cleave 
one    to  another,   even  as  iron  doth  not  mingle  with  clay. 

44  And  in  the  days  of  those  kings  shall  the  God  of  heaven  set 
up  a  kingdom,  which  shall  never  be  destroyed,  nor  shall  the 
sovereignty  thereof  be  left  to  another  people  ;  but  it  shall 
break  in  pieces  and  consume  all  these    kingdoms,  and   it 

45  shall  stand  for  ever.  Forasmuch  as  thou  sawest  that  a  stone 
was  cut  out  of  the  mountain  without  hands,  and  that  it  brake 
in  pieces  the  iron,  the  brass,  the  clay,  the  silver,  and  the 
gold  ;  the  great  God  hath  made  known  to  the  king  what 
shall  come  to  pass  hereafter  :  and  the  dream  is  certain,  and 


ig  I  III.  Bl  M  IK  I  IF  DANIEL 

46  the  interpretation  thereof  sure.  Then  the  king  Nebuchad- 
nezzar fell  upon  his  face,  and  worshipped  Daniel,  and  com- 
manded that  they  should  offer  an  oblation  and  sweet  odours 

47  unto  him.  The  king  answered  unto  Daniel,  and  said,  Of  a 
truth  your  God  is  the  God  of  gods,  and  the  Lord  of  kings. 
and  a  revealer  of  secrets,  seeing  thou  hast  been  able  to  re- 

48  veal  this  secret.  Then  the  king  ma*de  Daniel  great,  and 
gave  him  many  great  gifts,  and  made  him  to  rule  over  the 
whole  province  of  Babylon,  and  to  be  chief  governor  over 

49  all  the  wise  men  of  Babylon.  And  Daniel  requested  of  the 
king,  and  he  appointed  Shadrach,  Meshach,  and  Abednego, 
over  the  affairs  of  the  province  of  Babylon  :  but  Daniel  was 
in  the  "ate  of  the  kin". 


REFERENCES. 
Verses.  Numbers. 

1,2 P.P. 

3 I).  Lord  4S;   T.  C.  R.  156 

3-» ''  ■''• 

.2,13 P.P. 

14-30 P.  P. 

19,  20 -\-  (  ■  14-- 

22 A.  C.  33CS4;   A.  E.  662 

27 A.  C.  3762 

28 I>-  Lord  4;    Diet.  P.  1  1 

3i~33 V(  ■  ,837 

31-35    ....         I).  S.s.i  17;  T.  C.  R.  275;   A.  E.  1029;    P.P. 

31-47 A.  K.  717;   T.C.  R.  754 

31-35.44 Coronis2 

3[>  32*  44.  45 v  (  •  '326 

32 A.  R.  53S;   Coronis  37 

32,  33    A.  C.  1551,  2it>2,  3021,  10030,  10050;   D.  P.  328;   A.  R.  2ii,  775. 

913;   C.  L.  78;   A.  E.  70,  577;    Diet.  P.  11 

32-34,  41-43 v-  K    '7r» 


NEBUCHADNEZZAR'S  FIRST  DREAM  ^j 

32,33,43 V.  C.9406 

33-4" V.C.426 

34,35 \.C  1298,  10030;    A.  K   411 

34-43 Dict  ''•  » 

34,35,44,45 \.  C.  6426,  8581 ;   Dict.  1'.  II 

35 T.  C.  R.  788 

36-38 P.P. 

37,  38 \.  C.  1361;   A.  R.  507;    A.  E.  650,  1029 

37-46 A.C.  2547 

38 A.  E.  1029 


39 
4C-4: 


P.  P. 
P.  1'. 


43  A.  C.  10033,  io355=   A.  R-  7$',9I3;   C.  L-  73,  79:  T.  C.  K.  761;   A.  E. 

237,411,  1029 
43,44 C.  L.  81;  T.  C.  R.  625 

44  ...  D.  Lord  42;   A.  R.  664;  T.  C.  R.  788;   A.  E.  411,  1029 


44-  45 


P.  P 


45 A.  R.  913 

46-49 PP- 

47 A.  C.  7401 ;    A.  R.  664 

48 A.  E.  844 

Chapter  cited 1 .  L  .  R.  760 


jg  THE  B<  M  >K  OF  DANIEL 

COMMENTARY. 
Nebuchadnezzar's   dream  of  the  great  image. 

\i  \ki  \  the  whole  of  the  second  chapter  of  Daniel 
is  filled  with  an  account  of  Nebuchadnezzar's  dream  of 
the  great  image  and  the  interpretation  of  it  by  Daniel. 

Dreams  are  commonly  thought  of,  at  this  day,  as 
something  unreal,  having  no  meaning.  Such  was  not 
the  case  with  the  dreams  of  Nebuchadnezzar.  In  those 
days,  and  for  a  long  period  afterwards,  revelations  or 
communications  from  heaven  were  made  by  means  of 
dreams.  This  may  be  seen  from  the  Old  Testament 
and  from  the  New.  It  is  a  little  remarkable  that  Neb- 
uchadnezzar was  not  able  to  recall  his  dream  of  the 
great  image,  although  he  must  have  had  an  impression 
that  it  was  of  consequence  to  him.  He  had  more  than 
one  dream,  and  the  impressions  they  produced  upon  his 
mind  induced  anxiety  and  fear.     They  troubled  him. 

In  the  spiritual  sense  of  the  Word  this  dream  denotes 
the  revelation  of  Divine  Truth.  The  particulars  of  the 
dream  relate  to  the  state  of  the  church.  This  is  espe- 
cially seen  in  the  interpretation  given  by  Daniel.  The 
state  of  the  church,  especially  with  respect  to  its  con- 
summation and  the  second  coming  of  the  Lord,  could 
not  have  been  known  without  a  revelation  from  the 
Lord. 

The  nature  of  Divine  revelation,  even  as  to  its  form 
and  manifestation,  and  especially  as  to  its  spiritual 
meaning,  is  such  that  it  cannot  be  understood  except  by 
those  who  are   enlightened  by  the   Lord   in  a  state  of 


NEBUCHADNEZZAR'S  FIRST  DREAM 


39 


obedience,  and  who  arc  in  the  desire  of  being"  led  by 
the  Lord.  Those  who  are  under  the  influence  of  the 
love  of  dominion  cannot  know  the  nature  of  Divine  rev- 
elation ;  they  regard  the  Word  of  the  Lord  in  the  same 
light  as  they  do  any  human  production,  and  they  en- 
deavor to  interpret  it  to  suit  their  own  evil  desires. 

Nebuchadnezzar  preeminently  represents  those  who 
are  in  this  evil  love  of  dominion.  His  kingdom  was 
Babylon,  which  always  denotes  the  rule  or  government 
of  this  evil  love  in  the  human  mind  ;  that  is,  it  denotes 
the  church  and  the  human  mind  entirely  subject  to  the 
love  of  ruling  over  others  from  the  love  of  self.  There 
is,  however,  a  good  love  of  dominion  and,  in  one  sense, 
even  Nebuchadnezzar  represents  this  love,  as  we  shall 
presently  show. 

When  Nebuchadnezzar  found  that  he  could  not  re- 
member his  dream  —  it  was  gone  from  him — -he  called 
to  him  the  magicians,  the  astrologers,  the  sorcerers,  and 
the  Chaldeans.  It  is  not  fully  understood,  at  this  day, 
what  these  several  classes  of  men  were,  but  enough  is 
known  to  give  us  a  general  idea  about  them.  We  find 
them  and  their  arts  spoken  of  in  the  writings  of  the 
New  Church.  The  magicians  of  Chaldea  like  those  of 
Egypt  were  enabled  by  means  of  a  knowledge  of  corre- 
spondences to  induce  a  belief  in  the  reality  of  certain 
things  which  were  in  fact  unreal.  They  captivated  the 
senses,  charming  and  deceiving.  In  this  way  we  are 
told  they  perverted  correspondences  and  obtained  power 
over  the  minds  of  others  by  objective  means. 

The  astrologers  were  probably  a  distinct  class  from 
the  magicians.     They  devoted  themselves  to  the  study 


40 


THE  BOOK  OF  DAM  I'. I. 


oi  the  heavenly  bodies,  and  attributed  to  them  or'some 
of  them  eei'tain  attributes  and  powers  and  even  wor- 
shipped them.  They  read  in  the  stars  the  signs  of 
future  events  and  conditions  of  life.  The  sorcerers 
were  another  distinct  class  who  acted  directly  upon  the 
mind,  producing  a  kind  of  mental  stupor  so  as  to  keep 
one  under  their  influence.  In  A.  R.  462,  there  are 
three  kinds  of  sorcery  spoken  of  as  follows: 

Sorceries  were  in  use  among  the  ancients  and  were  performed 
in  three  ways  :  first,  by  keeping  the  hearing  and  thus  the  mind 
of  another  continually  intent  upon  his  words  and  sayings,  with- 
out retaining  aught  from  them  ;  and,  at  the  same  time,  by  an 
aspiration  and  inspiration  of  thought  conjoined  with  affection, 
by  means  of  the  breath,  into  the  sound  of  the  voice,  whereby 
the  hearer  is  incapable  of  thinking  anything  from  himself;  in 
this  manner  did  the  lovers  of  falsehood  pour  in  their  falsities 
with  violence.  Secondly,  they  infused  a  persuasion,  which  was 
done  by  detaining  the  mind  from  everything  of  a  contrary 
nature,  and  directing  the  attention  exelusively  to  the  idea  in- 
volved in  that  which  was  uttered  by  themselves,  hence  the 
spiritual  sphere  of  his  mind  dispelled  the  spiritual  sphere  of 
the  mind  of  another,  and  stifled  it ;  this  was  the  kind  of  spir- 
itual fascination  which  the  magi  of  old  made  use  of,  and  which 
was  spoken  of  as  the  tying  up  and  binding  the  understanding. 
The  latter  kind  of  sorcery  pertained  only  to  the  spirit  or 
thought  but  the  former  to  the  lips  or  speech  also.  Thirdly,  the 
hearer  kept  his  mind  so  fixed  in  his  own  opinion,  that  he  almost 
shut  his  ears  against  hearing  anything  from  the  speaker,  which 
was  done  by  holding  the  breath  and  sometimes  by  a  tacit  mut- 
tering and  thus  by  a  continual  negation  of  his  adversary's  sen- 
timent. This  kind  of  sorcery  was  practised  by  those  who 
heard  others,  but  the  two  former  by  those  who  spake  to  others. 


NEBUCHADNEZZAR'S  FIRST  DREAM 


41 


These  three  kinds  of  sorcery  prevailed  among  the  ancients,  and 
prevail  still  among  infernal  spirits ;  but  with  men  in  the  world 
there  remains  only  the  third  kind,  and  this  with  those,  who, 
from  the  pride  of  their  own  intelligence,  have  confirmed  in 
themselves  the  falsities  of  religion. 

As  to  the  word  "  Chaldeans,"  the  term  was  probably 
applied  at  one  time  in  a  general  way  to  all  the  inhabi- 
tants of  Chaldea,  but  here  it  seems  to  denote  a  learned 
class  who  were  known  as  such  and  who  formed  colleges 
for  the  cultivation  of  learning.  Swedenborg  not  only 
says  that  the  Chaldeans  possessed  a  knowledge  of  cor- 
respondences but  that  they  were  acquainted  with  the 
internal  sense  of  the  Word.  (A.  C.  901 1.)  Whether 
they  retained  this  knowledge  at  the  time  of  Nebuchad- 
nezzar is  doubtful.  But  it  is  sufficient  for  us  to  know 
that  neither  they  with  all  their  learning,  nor  the  magi- 
cians, astrologers,  and  sorcerers  were  able  to  read  in  the 
memory  of  the  king  the  dream  he  had. 

All  these  four  classes  of  men  represent  those  who 
pervert  and  profane  the  truth  for  their  own  selfish  ends. 
Had  they  been  permitted  they  would  have  interpreted 
the  dream  in  such  a  way  as  to  flatter  and  deceive  the 
king,  and  thus  confirm  their  own  power.  There  are 
those  even  at  the  present  day,  who,  although  they  deny 
the  Divine  in  their  hearts,  are  yet  willing  to  use  the 
Word  for  their  own  evil  ends,  and  thus  to  falsify  and 
profane  it.  Indeed,  we  must  understand  that  every  one 
who  is  in  self-love  and  from  this  principle  desires  to  gain 
power,  either  natural  or  spiritual,  necessarily  falsifies  the 
truths  of  the  Word  when  they  are  known  to  him.  But 
many  are  kept   in   ignorance   of  the  Word   to  prevent 


.-,  nil    i;< »( >k  OF  DANIE1 

them  from  doing  this.  That  all  those  upon  whom  the 
King  of  Babylon  depended  failed  him,  shows  us  that  no 
one  can  from  himself  enter  into  a  knowledge  of  Divine- 
revelation  or  interpret  the  heavenly  meaning  oi  what 
the  Lord  has  revealed.  Daniel  was  able  to  do  this  be- 
cause he  was  in  illustration  from  the  Lord.  "The 
secret  was  revealed  to  Daniel  in  a  night  vision."  He 
said  to  the  king:  "  Hut  as  for  me,  this  secret  is  not  re- 
vealed to  me  for  any  wisdom  that  I  have  more  than  any 
living,  but  to  the  intent  that  the  interpretation  may  be 
made  known  to  the  king,  and  that  thou  mightest  know 
the  thoughts  of  thy  heart."     (Chap.  ii.  ver.  30.) 

The  image  was  described  by  Daniel:  "This  image's 
head  was  of  fine  gold,  his  breast  and  his  arms  of  silver, 
his  belly  and  his  thighs  of  brass,  his  legs  of  iron,  his 
feet  part  of  iron  and  part  of  clay." 

In  the  "  Coronis,"  no.  2,  we  are  told  that  "  four 
churches  have  existed  on  this  earth  since  the  creation  of 
the  world,  the  Adamic,  the  Noahtic,  the  Israelitish,  and 
the  Christian,  which  manifestly  appears  in  Daniel,  first 
by  the  statue  seen  by  Nebuchadnezzar  in  a  dream,  and 
afterwards  from  the  four  beasts  rising  up  out  of  the  sea." 

The  common  method  of  interpretation  which  finds  in 
the  four  parts  of  the  statue  a  reference  to  four  earthly 
or  political  kingdoms,  generally  believed  to  be  the  Bab- 
ylonian, the  Medo-Persian,  the  Greek,  and  the  Roman, 
is  wholly  inadequate  for  conveying  the  spiritual  mean- 
ing, as  may  he  seen  from  this  little  work  called  the 
"Coronis."  This  traditional  interpretation  is  naturally 
drawn  from  the  interpretation  of  the  dream  given  by 
Daniel,  understood  only  according  to  the  letter. 


NEBUCHADNEZZAR'S  FIRST  DREAM 


43 


In  A.  R.  913,  which  is  referred  to  in  the  "  Coronis," 
and  more  fully  in  A.  C.  10,030,  we  find  a  particular  ex- 
planation of  the  meaning  of  the  parts  of  the  great  image. 
It  is  to  be  understood  that  this  great  image  represents 
the  successive  states  of  the  church.  We  are  not  to  con- 
fine the  interpretation  to  the  four  churches  above  named, 
as  represented  by  the  gold,  the  silver,  the  brass,  and 
the  iron.  Each  one  of  these  four  churches  or  dispensa- 
tions has  had  its  different  changes  corresponding  to  the 
different  parts  of  the  image.  In  "  Coronis"  no.  5  we 
read  :  "  There  have  been  four  successive  states  or  peri- 
ods of  every  one  of  the  above-named  churches."  Much 
confusion  about  the  meaning  of  the  Book  of  Daniel  has 
arisen  from  ignorance  of  the  true  method  of  spiritual  in- 
terpretation, and  from  attempting  to  apply  the  prophecy 
almost  wholly  to  the  Roman  Catholic  Church.  That 
Babel  or  Babylon  refers  to  this  church  or  its  religion, 
especially  in  the  seventeenth  chapter  of  the  Apocalypse, 
is  plainly  taught  in  the  writings  of  the  New  Church. 
But  this  great  image  represents  all  the  states  of  the 
church  down  to  the  period  of  the  Last  Judgment  and 
the  Second  Coming  of  the  Lord.  This  last  period  is 
denoted  by  these  words  :  "  And  whereas  thou  sawest 
iron  mixed  with  miry  clay,  they  shall  mingle  themselves 
with  the  seed  of  men  ;  but  they  shall  not  cleave  one  to 
another,  even  as  iron  does  not  mingle  with  clay." 

This  is  the  explanation  of  these  words  given  in  A.  R. 
913: 

By  iron  is  signified  the  truths  of  faith,  as  was  said  ;  but  when 
there  is  no  truth  of  faith,  but  faith  without  truth,  then  the  iron 
is  mixed  with  miry  clay,  which  do  not  cohere.     By  the  seed  of 


44 


THE  B0<  >K  <>!•    DANIEL 


man,  with  which  they  should  mingle  themselves,  the  truth  of 
the  Wonl  is  signified.  This  is  the  state  of  the  church  at  this 
day. 

Swedenborg  wrote  these  words,  probably,  in  the  year 

1765- 

Although,  then,  the  Christian  Church  is  represented 
particularly  by  the  legs  of  iron,  and  its  state  of  consum- 
mation when  there  is  no  faith  remaining  by  the  feet 
part  of  iron  and  part  of  clay,  yet  we  are  not  to  forget 
that  the  Christian  Church  has  had  its  state  of  love  or 
charity  grounded  in  innocence  represented  by  the  head 
of  gold,  its  state  of  faith  represented  by  the  breast  and 
arms  of  silver,  and  its  state  of  natural  good  represented 
by  the  belly  and  thighs  of  brass. 

As  to  the  preceding  dispensations  they  must  also 
have  reached  a  state  similar  to  the  last  state  of  the 
Christian  Church,  although  it  is  with  some  difficulty 
that  we  apply  the  correspondence  of  the  feet  of  iron 
mixed  with  miry  clay  to  the  lowest  states  of  the  Most 
Ancient  Church  and  the  Ancient  Church  respectively. 
Christians  have  been  taught  to  think  of  the  last  state  of 
the  Jewish  Church  as  the  lowest  of  all,  and  the  Lord's 
first  advent  as  the  period  when  a  new  humanity  began 
to  be  formed.  With  many  this  idea  still  remains.  They 
do  not  know  that  the  first  Christian  Church  has  been 
spiritually  consummated.  The  stone  cut  out  of  the 
mountain  without  hands,  that  smote  the  image  and 
brake  it  in  pieces,  they  believe  to  be  Jesus  Christ  ;  but 
Swedenborg  teaches  that  this  stone  or  rock  denotes  the 
doctrine  of  the  New  Church  revealed  by  the  Lord  at 
His  Second  Coming,  by  which  a  final  judgment  was  ex- 


NEBUCHADNEZZAR'S   FIRST  DREAM 


45 


ecuted  upon  the  states  of  all  in  the  world  of  spirits  at 
that  time  (1757),  and  also  upon  the  first  Christian 
Church  as  it  then  existed  in  the  world.  The  coming  of 
the  Lord  in  the  spirit  and  power  of  His  Word,  "  in  all 
His  glory,"  is  foretold  in  the  seventh  chapter  of  Daniel 
where  the  "Ancient  of  Days  "  is  spoken  of  as  appearing 
after  the  beasts  have  risen  from  the  sea. 

We  can  have  very  little  knowledge  of  the  successive 
states  of  the  Most  Ancient  Church  and  of  the  Ancient 
Church  as  they  were  manifested  outwardly  in  the  world. 
We  know,  however,  that  they,  like  the  two  succeeding 
dispensations  came  to  an  end  from  the  loss  of  charity, 
or  love,  as  the  ruling  principle  of  heavenly  life.  They 
successively  declined  from  the  celestial  love  of  good 
which  is  the  love  of  good  for  its  own  sake,  or  the  purest 
form  of  it,  to  the  spiritual  love  of  good,  to  which  man 
is  led  by  the  truths  of  faith,  and  then  to  the  natural  love 
of  good  to  which  man  is  led  by  obedience  ;  and  finally 
to  the  love  of  what  was  not  good,  but  which  they  called 
good  because  it  ministered  to  selfish  delight  and  pleas- 
ure. The  fall  was  not  occasioned  by  one  act  of  disobe- 
dience, but  by  successive  departures  from  the  centre  of 
life.  In  the  last  state  they  corrupted  all  good  and  pro- 
faned every  truth  that  remained  —  the  iron  was  mixed 
with  miry  clay.  This  was  the  lowest  state  of  each  of 
these  two  dispensations  —  the  Most  Ancient  and  the 
Ancient  —  although  the  human  race  had  not  sunk  so 
low  as  it  did  at  the  end  of  the  Jewish  and  the  Christian 
Dispensations. 

In  the  Old  Testament  we  have  a  literal  history  of  the 
Jewish  Church,  not  however  full  and   connected.     We 


46 


THE  Bl  »<  >K  <  IF    DANIE1 


ma v  trace  somewhat,  in  the  Bible  stories,  the  successive 
changes  and  final  consummation  of  that  church.  The 
same  general  causes  operated  to  produce  its  decline  and 
consummation  as  in  the  former  churches.  It  was  not, 
however,  a  real  church,  but  only  the  representative  of  a 
true  church,  having  no  spiritual  faith  or  heavenly  charity 
within  it.  And  yet  so  long  as  its  members  preserved 
the  outward  forms  of  Divine  worship  which  were  pre- 
scribed to  them  under  the  Mosaic  law,  the  church  itself 
was  preserved  from  destruction,  but  as  soon  as  its  mem- 
bers fell  into  disobedience  and  the  open  indulgence  of 
evil,  the  church  began  to  decline  and  finally  came  to  an 
end.  The  judgment  upon  it  took  place  when  the  Lord 
came  into  the  world.  The  great  image  seen  by  Nebu- 
chadnezzar in  his  dream  was  as  fully  representative  of 
this  church  as  of  the  two  former  ones. 

Now  when  we  come  to  the  Christian  Church,  it  would 
seem  as  if  the  facts  of  its  history  would  supply  us  with 
the  means  of  ascertaining  whether  its  successive  states 
were  not  also  represented  by  the  great  image.  But  this 
can  only  be  seen  by  those  who  view  these  tacts  in  the 
light  of  the  revelations  made  to  the  New  Church.  No 
one  in  the  Christian  world  could  fully  know  or  under- 
stand the  causes  of  the  decline  of  the  Christian  Church, 
or  believe  that  it  came  to  an  end  spiritually,  and  was 
judged,  unless  the  Lord  had  revealed  such  knowledge 
from  heaven.  There  were  no  "  wise  men,"  none  in  the 
East  or  in  the  West,  in  any  part  of  the  Christian  world, 
in  the  Greek,  Roman  Catholic,  or  Reformed  Churches, 
who  could  read  or  understand  the  meaning  of  the  great 
image,  maximus  homo,  or  the  church  viewed  collectively 


NEBUCHADNEZZAR'S   FIRST   DREAM  47 

as  one  man  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord.  This  is  evident 
from  the  conflicting  and  erroneous  interpretations  which 
have  been  put  upon  this  book  called  Daniel,  and  the 
Apocalypse. 

Referring  again  to  the  little  work  called  the  "  Coro- 
nis,"  we  find  that  the  four  successive  changes  of  state 
in  each  one  of  the  above-named  churches  are  said  to  be  : 
"  first  the  appearance  of  the  Lord  Jehovih  and  redemp- 
tion, and  the  morning  or  rise  of  the  church  ;  second,  its 
instruction,  and  its  day  or  progression  ;  third,  its  de- 
clension, and  its  evening  or  vastation  ;  fourth,  its  end, 
and  its  night  or  consummation."  Now  in  reference  to 
the  sources  of  knowledge  respecting  the  changes  in  the 
Christian  Church  we  read  in  the  "  Brief  Continuation  of 
the  Coronis  "  the  following  : 

The  periodical  changes  which  succeeded  in  the  fourth  or 
Christian  Church  are  described  in  the  Word  both  of  the  Old 
and  New  Testaments  ;  in  particular,  its  rise  or  morning  is  de- 
scribed in  the  Evangelists,  in  the  Acts,  and  in  the  writings  of 
the  Apostles  :  its  progression  towards  mid-day,  in  the  ecclesi- 
astical history  of  the  first  three  centuries  ;  its  declension  or 
evening,  in  the  history  of  the  following  ages  ;  and  its  vastation, 
and  final  consummation,  or  night,  in  the  Apocalypse. 

Here,  then,  we  have  the  sources  of  information  —  the 
Word,  the  Apostolic  writings,  and  the  history  of  the 
Christian  Church.  The  Apostolic  writings  and  ecclesi- 
astical history  must  be  interpreted  in  the  light  of  the 
revelations  made  to  the  New  Church  in  order  to  be 
understood  as  the  fulfilment  of  prophecy.  To  under- 
stand how  the  great  image  seen  by  Nebuchadnezzar  in 
his  dream  typifies  all  the  successive  states  of  the  Chris- 


48 


THE  i:i  >i  >K  OF  DANIEL 


tian  Church,  we  must  study  all  these  sources  of  informa- 
tion. The  book  called  Daniel  and  the  Apocalypse  refer 
more  particularly  to  the  judgment  upon  this  church,  its 
consummation,  and  the  coming  of  the  Lord  to  establish 
a  New  Church.  The  Reformation  is  often  taken  as  the 
beginning  of  a  new  era  in  the  Christian  Church,  but  it 
was  only  the  beginning  of  the  end.  The  age  repre- 
sented by  gold  did  not  extend  as  far  as  the  third  century, 
perhaps  not  longer  than  the  time  when  the  beloved 
apostle,  John,  passed  into  the  spiritual  world,  or  about 
the  end  of  the  first  century.  The  second  or  silver  age 
lasted  until  near  the  close  of  the  third  century,  from 
whence  it  began  to  decline.  The  succeeding  ages  can 
only  be  defined  as  they  are  represented  by  the  brass  and 
the  iron,  by  a  careful  study  of  ecclesiastical  history. 

As  to  the  interpretation  of  the  dream  or  the  explana- 
tion given  by  Daniel,  it  must  be  observed  that  the  king 
becomes  the  representative  of  the  image.  Here  there 
is  just  as  much  need  of  a  spiritual  interpretation  as  in 
the  language  describing  the  dream  itself.  It  is  some- 
what like  the  explanation  of  the  parable  of  the  Sower, 
given  by  the  Lord,  and  that  parable  itself.  Both  need 
to  be  spiritually  unfolded. 

Nebuchadnezzar  primarily  represents  the  kingdom  of 
love,  which  is  the  government  of  heaven  and  should  be  of 
the  church  on  earth.  Daniel  said  to  him,  "  Thou  art 
that  head  of  gold."  As  the  King  of  Babylon  he  repre- 
sented the  dominion  of  the  Divine  Love.  This  is  the 
head  of  the  image.  There  is  a  good  love  of  dominion. 
It  is  the  love  of  ruling  for  the  sake  of  serving,  or  for 
the  sake  of  use.      When  this  love  is  turned  to  the  oppo- 


NEBUCHADNEZZAR'S   FIRST  DREAM 


49 


site  and  becomes  the  love  of  ruling  from  the  love  of  self, 
then  the  church  comes  to  an  end.  So  Nebuchadnezzar's 
kingdom  came  to  an  end.  The  second  kingdom  is  not 
referred  to  as  of  silver,  but  the  third  is  spoken  of  as  of 
brass,  and  the  fourth,  it  is  said,  shall  be  as  "strong  as 
iron."  The  different  kingdoms  simply  denote  the  prev- 
alence or  rule  of  certain  principles  in  the  human  mind, 
thus  the  successive  states  of  the  church,  just  as  in  the 
image.  The  "kingdom  which  shall  never  be  destroyed  " 
is  the  final  reign  of  the  Lord  in  His  Divine  Humanity 
as  King  of  Kings  and  Lord  of  Lords.  The  truth  which 
is  revealed  by  Him  at  His  Second  Coming,  especially 
the  doctrine  that  His  humanity  is  Divine,  is  compared 
to  a  stone  cut  out  of  the  mountain  without  hands,  be- 
cause this  doctrine  is  not  derived  from  the  self-derived 
intelligence  of  man,  but  from  the  Lord  alone. 

We  are  not  to  understand  that  the  Divine  homage 
paid  to  Daniel  by  Nebuchadnezzar  represents  the  pure 
worship  of  the  Lord.  The  worship  of  those  who  are 
represented  by  Nebuchadnezzar  is  not  from  a  free  and 
rational  principle  —  it  is  not  the  worship  of  the  Father 
in  spirit  and  in  truth.  It  is  a  compulsory  worship  from 
fear  and  not  from  love.  Those  who  are  in  the  love  of 
dominion  are  governed  by  no  other  motive.  They  are 
compelled  to  acknowledge  the  power  of  Divine  Truth, 
but  they  desire  to  make  use  of  the  knowledge  they  pos- 
sess for  their  own  power  and  gain. 


50 


I  III     BOI  >k   (  IF  DANIEL 


CHAPTER    III. 


Nebuchadnezzar  the  king  mack'  an  image  of  gold,  whose 
height  was  three-score  cubits,  and  the  breadth  thereof  six 
cubits  :  he  set  it  up  in  the  plain  of  Dura,  in  the  province  of 
j  Babylon.  Then  Nebuchadnezzar  the  king  sent  to  gather 
together  the  satraps,  the  deputies,  and  the  governors,  tiie 
judges,  the  treasurers,  the  counsellors,  the  sheriffs,  and  all 
the  rulers  of  the  provinces,  to  come  to  the  dedication  of  the 

3  image  which  Nebuchadnezzar  the  king  had  set  up.  Then 
the  satraps,  the  deputies,  and  the  governors,  tin-  judges,  the 
treasurers,  the  counsellors,  the  sheriffs,  and  all  the  rulers  of 
the  provinces,  were  gathered  together  unto  the  dedication 
of  the  image  that  Nebuchadnezzar  the  king  had  set  up  ;  and 
they  stood  before  the  image  that  Nebuchadnezzar  had  set 

4  up.     Then  the  herald  cried  aloud,  To  you  it  is  commanded. 

5  O  peoples,  nations,  and  languages,  that  at  what  time  ye  he. li- 
the sound  of  the  cornet,  flute,  harp,  sackbut,  psaltery,  dul- 
cimer, and  all  kinds  of  music,  ye  fall  down  and  worship  the 
golden  image  that  Nebuchadnezzar  the  king  hath  set   up: 

6  and  whoso  falleth  not  down  and  worshipped"!  shall  the  same 
hour    be    cast   into  the   midst  of   a    burning   fiery  furnace. 

7  Therefore  at  that  time,  when  all  the  peoples  heard  the  sound 
of  the  cornet,  flute,  harp,  sackbut.  psaltery,  and  all  kinds  of 
music,  all  the  peoples,  the  nations,  and  the  languages,  fell 
down  and  worshipped  the  golden  image  that  Xebuchadne/- 

X  zar  the  king  had  set  up.  Wherefore  at  that  time  certain 
Chaldeans  came  near,  and   brought   accusation   against    the 

9  Jews.      They  answered  and  said  to  Nebuchadnezzar  the  king. 

io  ()  king,  live  for  ever.     Thou,  ()  king,  hast   made  a   decree, 

that  every  man  that  shall  hear  the  sound  of  the  cornet,  flute, 

harp,  sackbut,  psaltery,  and  dulcimer,  and  all  kinds  of  music. 


GOLDEN  IMAGE  AND  FIERY   RJRNACI  51 

11  shall  fall  down  and  worship  the  golden  image:  and  whoso 
falleth   not  down   and  worshipped!,  shall   be   cast  into   the 

12  midst  of  a  burning  fiery  furnace.  There  are  certain  Jews 
whom  thou  hast  appointed  over  the  affairs  of  the  province 
of  Babylon,  Shadrach,  Meshach,  and  Abednego  ;  these  men, 
O  king,  have  not  regarded  thee  :  they  serve  not  thy  gods, 

13  nor  worship  the  golden  image  which  thou  hast  set  up.  Then 
Nebuchadnezzar  in  his  rage  and  fury  commanded  to  bring 
Shadrach,    Meshach,   and  Abednego.     Then   they   brought 

14  these  men  before  the  king.  Nebuchadnezzar  answered  and 
said  unto  them,  Is  it  of  purpose,  O  Shadrach.  Meshach,  and 
Abednego,  that  ye  serve  not  my  god,  nor  worship  the  golden 

15  image  which  I  have  set  up?  Now  if  ye  be  ready  that  at 
what  time  ye  hear  the  sound  of  the  cornet,  flute,  harp,  sack- 
but,  psaltery,  and  dulcimer,  and  all  kinds  of  music,  ye  fall 
down  and  worship  the  image  which  I  have  made,  well:  but 
if  ye  worship  not,  ye  shall  be  cast  the  same  hour  into  the 
midst  of  a  burning  fiery  furnace  ;  and  who  is  that  god  that 

16  shall  deliver  you  out  of  my  hands?  Shadrach,  Meshach, 
and  Abednego,  answered  and  said  to  the  king,  O  Nebu- 
chadnezzar, we  have  no  need  to  answer  thee  in  this  matter. 

17  If  it  be  so,  our  God  whom  we  serve  is  able  to  deliver  us 
from  the  burning  fiery  furnace  ;  and  he  will  deliver  us   out 

18  of  thine  hand,  O  king.  But  if  not.  be  it  known  unto  thee, 
O  king,  that  we  will  not   serve   thy  gods,   nor   worship  the 

1  g  golden  image  which  thou  hast  set  up.  Then  was  Nebu- 
chadnezzar full  of  fury,  and  the  form  of  his  visage  was 
changed  against  Shadrach,  Meshach,  and  Abednego  :  there- 
fore he  spake,  and  commanded  that  they  should  heat  the 
furnace  seven  times  more  than  it  was  wont  to  be  heated. 

20  And  he  commanded  certain  mighty  men  that  were  in  his 
army  to  bind  Shadrach,  Meshach,  and  Abednego,  and  to 

21  cast  them  into  the  burning  fiery  furnace.     Then  these  men 


C2  THE  BOOK  OF  DANIEL 

were  bound  in  their  hosen,  their  tunics,  and  their  mantles, 
and  their  other  garments,  and  were  cast  into  the  midst  of 

22  the  burning  fiery  furnace.  Therefore  because  the  king's 
commandment  was  urgent,  and  the  furnace  exceeding  hot, 
the  flame  of  the  fire  slew  those  men  that  took  up  Shadrach, 

23  Meshach,  and  Abednego.  And  these  three  men,  Shadrach, 
Meshach.  and  Abednego,  fell  down  bound  into  the  midst  of 

24  the  burning  fiery  furnace.  Then  Nebuchadnezzar  the  king 
was  astonied,  and  rose  up  in  haste  :  he  spake  and  said  unto 
his  counsellors.  Did  not  we  cast  three  men  bound  into  the 
midst  of  the  fire  ?     They  answered  and  said  unto  the  king, 

25  True,  O  king.  He  answered  and  said,  Lo,  I  see  four  men 
loose,  walking  in  the  midst  of  the  fire,  and  they  have  no 
hurt  ;  and  the  aspect  of  the  fourth  is  like  a  son  of  the  gods. 

26  Then  Nebuchadnezzar  came  near  to  the  mouth  of  the  burn- 
ing fiery  furnace  :  he  spake  and  said,  Shadrach,  Meshach, 
and  Abednego,  ye.  servants  of  the  Most  High  God,  come 
forth,   and    come    hither.     Then    Shadrach,  Meshach,  and 

27  Abednego,  came  forth  out  of  the  midst  of  the  fire.  And 
the  satraps,  the  deputies,  and  the  governors,  and  the  king's 
counsellors,  being  gathered  together,  saw  these  men,  that 
the  fire  had  no  power  upon  their  bodies,  nor  was  the  hair 
of  their  head  singed,  neither  were  their  hosen  changed,  nor 

28  had  the  smell  of  fire  passed  on  them.  Nebuchadnezzar 
spake  and  said,  Blessed  be  the  (iod  of  Shadrach,  Meshach, 
and  Abednego,  who  hath  sent  his  angel,  and  delivered  his 
servants  that  trusted  in  him,  and  have  changed  the  king's 
word,  and  have  yielded   their  bodies,  that  they  might    not 

29  serve  nor  worship  any  god,  except  their  own  (iod.  There- 
fore I  make  a  decree,  that  every  people,  nation,  and  lan- 
guage, which  speak  any  thing  amiss  against  the  God  of 
Shadrach,  Meshach,  and  Abednego,  shall  be  cut  in  pieces, 
and  their  houses  shall  be  made  a  dunghill  :   because  there  is 


GOLDEN  [MAGE  AM)  FIERY  FURNACE 


53 


30  no  other  god  that  is  able  to  deliver  after  this  sort.  ■  Then 
the  king  promoted  Shadrach,  Meshach,  and  Abednego,  in 
the  province  of  Babylon. 


REFERENCES. 

Verses.  Numbers. 

1,2 P.  P. 

1-7 A.  E.  1029 

1-7  and  following A.  R.  717;   T.  C.  R.  754 

1  and  following A.  C.  1326 

1  to  end L.  J.  54 

3-7 P.P. 

8-12 •        ...      P.  P. 

13-21 PP. 

22-25 PP. 

25-28 Diet.  P.  11 

26-33 P-  P. 

Chapter  cited 2  Adver.  1719 


-_j_  THE  BOI  >K  •  »1    DANIE1 


COMMEN  IARY. 

I  III.    I  M  M.I.    01     GOLD    AND    THE    III  m     11  RN  \<  E. 

1\  studying  the  text  of  this  chapter  of  Daniel,  in 
connection  with  the  references  given  to  it  by  Sweden- 
borg  in  his  explanations  of  the  Word,  it  is  well  to  note- 
that  he  adds  to  it  three  verses  of  the  following  chapter, 
giving  to  this  one  thirty-three  verses,  and  making  the 
thirty-third  verse  answer  to  verse  three  of  chapter  four. 
Nebuchadnezzar  is  a  representative  of  the  internal  love 
of  dominion  which  endeavors  to  reduce  all  things  into 
submission  to  itself,  to  gain  power  over  the  souls  of 
men,  and  even  to  invade  heaven  itself.  It  may  be  said 
that  this  infernal  love  has  prevailed  in  all  ages  and 
among  all  classes  of  men,  unless  we  except  the  state  of 
mankind  before  the  fall,  which  was  one  of  innocence 
and  trust  in  the  Lord. 

It  is  customary  to  regard  Babylon  as  a  type  of  the 
Roman  Catholic  Religion.  In  the  explanations  given 
b\  Swedenborg  he  shows  how  the  Roman  Catholic 
Church,  through  the  papal  power,  has  exercised  this 
unholy  love  and  brought  its  members  into  entire  sub- 
jection. When  the_\'  have  refused  obedience  to  its  de- 
crees, it  has  pronounced  excommunication  upon  them, 
and  the  punishments  of  hell  have  been  held  out  to  them 
as  their  lot  after  death.  (See  A.  E.  1029.)  The  con- 
duct of  the  rulers  of  this  church  is  foretold  in  this 
chapter  in  what  is  said  of  the  conduct  of  the  Chaldeans, 
who  accused  the  Jews  of  not  worshipping  the  golden 
image  which    Nebuchadnezzar  set   up.     (Verses  8    \2.) 


GOLDEN  IMAGE  AM)  FIERY  FURNACE  55 

The  Chaldeans  denote  those  who  are  in  falsities.  The 
rage  of  the  king  against  Shadrach,  Meshach,  and  Abed- 
nego  —  called  in  the  Hebrew  tongue,  Hananiah,  Mish- 
ael,  and  Azariah  —  who  were  accused,  knew  no  bounds, 
and  he  ordered  these  three  men  to  be  cast  into  the 
furnace  of  fire.  The  imagery  prefigures  the  hatred  oi 
the  rulers  of  the  Church  of  Rome  against  those  who 
would  not  obey  them. 

But  we  must  not  narrow  down  our  interpretations  to 
one  age  of  the  Christian  Church.  We  should  endeavor 
to  learn  not  only  its  particular  meaning  with  reference 
to  one  church  or  dispensation,  but  its  larger  and  more 
universal  meaning.  Babylon,  under  the  Hebrew  form, 
Babel,  is  spoken  of  in  Genesis,  where  the  building  of 
the  tower  of  Babel  is  described.  There  it  refers  to 
the  prevalence  of  the  love  of  dominion  in  the  Ancient 
Church,  denoted  by  Noah,  which  came  to  an  end  from 
that  cause. 

The  same  infernal  love  prevailed  in  the  Jewish  Church. 
This  church  or  its  members  would  have  been  utterly 
destroyed,  naturally  as  well  as  spiritually,  had  it  not 
been  kept  alive  by  outward  conformity  to  the  law.  It 
was  necessary  to  preserve  some  knowledge  of  Jehovah 
through  the  written  Word  which  was  committed  to- 
their  keeping.  Their  worship  was  profaned  before  the 
captivity,  and  at  the  best  it  had  never  been  anything 
more  than  the  semblance  or  outward  representation  of 
the  pure  worship  of  the  Lord.  In  all  the  permissions 
of  the  Divine  Providence  He  regards  the  preservation 
of  the  truth  in  some  form  as  the  final  end.  Had  all 
knowledge  of   God  been  lost  with  the  Jewish  people   01- 


;(1  I  III-    Bi  IOK  i  >i    DANIEL 

nation,  a  New  Church  could  not  have  been  raised  up  at 
the  time  of  the.  Lord's  coming  on  the  earth.  The  final 
consummation  of  the  Jewish  Church  through  the  love 
of    dominion  and    the    consequent    profanation   of    the 

Word,  is  foretold  in  the  prophecy  of  Isaiah,  chapter 
four,  under  the  figure  of  Babylon,  and  the  Divine  judg- 
ment upon  it  in  chapters  twenty-one,  forty-seven,  and 
forty-eight, 

Babylon  is  also  spoken  of  when  the  future  state  of 
the  Christian  Church  is  foretold  in  the  Book  of  Rev- 
elation, called  "  The  Apocalypse,"  particularly  in  the 
seventeenth  chapter  of  that  book,  under  the  figure  of  a 
woman  sitting  upon  a  scarlet-colored  beast.  In  the  ex- 
planations of  the  meaning  of  the  Apocalypse  given  to 
the  New  Church,  it  is  declared  that  the  woman  thus 
described  represents  and  signifies  the  Roman  Catholic 
Religion,  which,  although  originally  founded  upon  the 
Word,  was  afterwards  wholly  corrupted  and  finally 
judged. 

We  have,  therefore,  types  of  this  love  of  dominion  in 
all  parts  of  the  Word,  as  it  has  been  manifested  in  all 
the  different  churches  and  branches  thereof.  In  the 
universal,  spiritual  meaning  its  corrupting  influence  is 
portrayed  with  reference  to  every  individual  man  who 
suffers  himself   to  be  governed  by  it. 

The  story  contained  in  this  third  chapter  of  Daniel 
illustrates  in  a  vivid  manner  how  this  evil  love  endeavors 
to  bring  all  men  under  its  dominion,  and,  failing  that,  to 
visit  them  with  cruel  punishment  ;  and,  on  the  other 
hand,  how  those  who  are  subjected  to  danger  and  suf- 
ferings  are   preserved   from    destruction    by   the    Lord. 


GOLDEN   IMAGE  AND  FIERY  FURNACE 


57 


The  king  Nebuchadnezzar  made  a  golden  image,  sixty 
cubits  high  and  six  cubits  broad,  and  set  it  up  in  the 
plain  of  Dura  in  the  province  of  Babylon.  The  image 
was  probably  gilded  and  not  of  solid  gold.  The  meas- 
urements given  are  probably  Babylonian,  and  may  be 
taken  as  one  hundred  feet  and  ten  feet,  respectively, 
English  measure.  This  gilded  image  is  not  described 
as  to  its  form  or  features.  It  was  doubtless  in  the  hu- 
man form  and  may  have  been  an  image  of  the  king 
himself. 

We  know  that  it  represents  the  love  of  dominion 
from  the  love  of  self  which  filled  the  heart  of  the  king. 
From  this  infernal  love  he  desired  to  have  all  nations 
and  people  bow  down  to  him.  He  made  himself  a  god. 
Gold  corresponds  to  the  good  of  love,  the  celestial  prin- 
ciple which  leads  men  to  worship  the  Lord,  to  acknowl- 
edge all  good  to  be  from  Him  who  is  the  highest  good, 
and  to  desire  that  this  good  may  be  received  by  all. 
But  when  this  good  becomes  adulterated,  mixed  with 
the  evil  of  man's  selfish  nature  and  turned  into  its  op- 
posite, the  gold  denotes  what  may  appear  to  be  good  in 
external  form,  but  which  is  internally  evil.  It  is  like 
gilded  fruit  which  is  rotten  within.  With  the  evil  the 
good  they  seek  is  their  own  pleasure,  and  their  delight 
is  to  persuade  others  to  accede  to  their  wishes  or  to 
compel  them  to  yield  obedience  to  their  commands. 
The  worship  of  the  golden  calf  by  the  Israelites  was 
the  lowest  manifestation  of  this  love  which  seeks  its 
gratification  in  sensual  and  corporeal  pleasures.  All 
who  are  under  the  influence  of  the  love  of  dominion 
springing  from  the  love  of  self,  give  themselves  up  to 


58 


THE   BOOK  <>l-    DANIE1 


such  pleasures.  History  affords  us  notable  examples  of 
the  vice  and  luxury  of  kings  who  have  exercised  des- 
potic power. 

It  is  not  said  that  Nebuchadnezzar,  at  first,  com- 
manded all  the  people  in  his  kingdom  to  worship  this 
image.  He  sent  and  gathered  all  the  princes,  govern- 
ors, captains,  judges,  treasurers,  councillors,  sheriffs, 
and  all  the  rulers  of  the  provinces,  and  commanded 
them  to  come  to  the  dedication  of  the  image.  But 
when  these  officers  were  gathered  together  and  stood 
before  the  image,  the  herald  cried  aloud  and  proclaimed 
to  all  people,  nations,  and  languages  present,  that  when 
they  heard  the  sound  of  different  musical  instruments 
they  should  fall  down  and  worship  this  image  of  gold. 
Whatever  is  done  by  a  subordinate  or  agent,  by  com- 
mand of  another,  is  done  by  the  will  of  the  principal. 
kin^s  and  potentates  exercise  dominion  through  their 
subordinates.  The  Pope  of  Rome  executes  his  decrees 
through  his  cardinals,  archbishops,  and  bishops;  and 
these  decrees  are  just  as  binding  upon  the  people  un- 
der them  as  if  he  were  to  command  them  directly  in 
his  own  person. 

lie  excites  the  affections  of  these  subordinates  so 
that  they  desire  to  exercise  dominion  themselves.  The 
sounds  of  musical  instruments  correspond  to  the  influ- 
ence of  a  variety  of  affections,  by  which  men  are  led  to 
take  delight  in  certain  good  or  evil  things.  In  this 
case,  the  affections  of  the  people  were  excited  to  lead 
them  to  worship  the  golden  image.  Thus, according  to 
the  spiritual  idea,  men  come  under  the  influence  of  the 
love  ot  self. 


GOLDEN   [MAGE  AND  FIERY  FURNACE  59 

The  love  of  ruling  over  others  is  often  manifested  in  a 
stronger  degree  by  a  subordinate  ruler  than  by  a  princi- 
pal. But  in  whatever  degree  it  may  exist  it  always  looks 
to  self-elevation  and  not  to  the  good  of  others.  Where 
the  freedom  of  others  is  not  regarded,  in  the  exercise 
of  authority,  government  is  not  from  heaven.  No  one 
can  be  led  to  good,  except  in  a  state  of  freedom  and  in 
the  exercise  of  rationality.  It  is  not  difficult,  therefore, 
to  see  that  the  worship  of  the  golden  image  denotes  the 
submission  of  the  human  will  and  understanding  to  the 
influence  of  self-love,  either  in  ourselves  or  in  others. 
Those  who  come  under  its  influence  are  always  ready 
to  accuse  others  of  evil,  especially  when  others  are  not 
willing  to  yield  submission  to  their  personal  authority. 
They  become  filled  with  the  fire  of  hatred  towards  those 
who  do  not  pay  them  homage,  and  act  towards  them 
with  crueltv.  The  history  of  the  Christian  Church  is 
filled  with  examples  of  this  kind. 

We  are  not  to  understand  that  this  evil  arises  from 
the  exercise  of  authority  in  one  particular  form  of  govern- 
ment more  than  in  another.  Whenever  the  government 
is  that  of  the  human  will  arbitrarily  exercised  without 
any  law,  that  is,  uninfluenced  by  the  truth  and  without 
regard  to  the  good  of  all,  it  is  infernal,  not  heavenly. 

The  three  men  of  the  Jews  who  refused  to  bow  down 
to  the  golden  image,  represent  all  those  in  the  church 
who  acknowledge  and  worship  the  Lord,  and  are  there- 
fore unwilling  to  come  under  the  dominion  of  self-love 
whether  exercised  by  one  man  or  by  many.  This  love, 
however,  may  become  dominant  in  the  individual  with- 
out its  being  exercised  directly  over  others.     The  idol- 


f)0  THE  B<  M  IK  i  H-   DANIEL 

atry  of  self  is  more  dangerous  than  the  worship  of 
others.  We  may  submit  to  the  will  of  others  and  love 
them  with  natural  affection  for  something  which  appears 

good  in  them.  Hut,  if  we  worship  ourselves,  we  desire 
that  all  should  honor,  love,  and  obey  us. 

These  three  men  of  the  Jews  had  all  along  refused  to 
he  ia\  with  the  king's  meat.  They  received  knowledge 
from  their  God,  were  governed  by  His  spirit,  and  there- 
fore could  not  worship  any  other.  The  command  of  the 
king  to  east  them  into  the  furnace  of  fire  is  indicative 
of  the  burning  hatred  of  the  evil  love  of  ruling  over 
others  exercised  towards  those  who  will  not  come  under 
their  dominion.  As  before  remarked,  the  pains  and 
torments  of  hell-fire  were  promised  to  those  who  did 
not  confess  that  they  believed  in  the  decrees  of  the 
pope.  But  the  Lord  protects  those  who  put  their  trust 
in  Him.  Latimer  and  Cranmer  endured  the  torment  of 
the  flames  while  proclaiming  their  faith.  It  is  declared 
in  the  narrative  that  these  three  men  were  east  into  the 
furnace  of  fire  "bound,  in  their  hosen,  their  tunics,  and 
their  mantles,  and  their  other  garments,"  and  that  while 
those  who  cast  them  in  were  burned  with  the  flame  of 
the  fire,  the  Jews  came  out  unhurt  ;  indeed,  that  "  the 
fire  had  no  power  upon  their  bodies,  nor  was  an  hair  of 
their  head  singed,  neither  were  their  hosen  changed, 
nor  had  the  smell  of  fire  passed  on  them."  This  has 
been  regarded  by  many  as  one  of  the  most  wonderful 
miracles  recorded  in  the  Bible.  It  seems  to  show  that 
under  certain  conditions  fire  will  not  burn  or  destroy. 
If  this  is  true  spiritually,  if  men  or  spirits  can  be  pro- 
tected by  the  Lord  from  the  fire  of  hatred  and   passion 


GOLDEN   [MAGE  AND  FIERY   FURNACE  61- 

which  would  destroy  them,  cannot  the  same  power,  with- 
out violating  any  law  of  order,  overcome  the  influence  of 
the  natural  elements  ?  "  When  thou  walkest  through 
the  fire,  thou  shalt  not  be  burned  ;  neither  shall  the 
flame  kindle  upon  thee."      (Is.\.  xliii.  2.) 

The  human  body  can  be  protected  from  the  action  of 
heat  by  moisture.  Men  handle  molten  metal  in  this 
way.  It  is  a  little  remarkable  that  some  such  idea  seems 
to  have  been  in  the  mind  of  the  one  who  wrote  the 
"Song  of  the  three  Hebrew  Children  "  in  the  Apocry- 
phal additions  to  the  Book  of  Daniel,  where  we  are  told 
that  they  were  "surrounded  by  a  moist,  whistling  wind." 
May  we  not  rather  say  that  they  were  surrounded  by  a 
natural  atmosphere,  corresponding  to  the  spiritual  at- 
mosphere, which  was  produced  by  the  presence  of  an- 
gels, by  whom  they  were  protected.  The  Divine  power 
overruled  the  action  of  the  elements,  as  was  the  case 
when  the  Lord  walked  upon  the  Sea  of  Galilee  and 
quelled  the  storm.  The  spiritual  meaning  seems  to  re- 
quire actuality  in  the  things  recorded,  otherwise  there 
would  be  no  basis  for  this  meaning  and  we  might  be 
led  to  doubt  the  truth  of  the  whole  narrative.  Some 
in  the  New  Church  have  believed  that  the  whole  trans- 
action took  place  in  the  spiritual  world,  and  they  con- 
firm this  idea  by  the  statement  in  the  narrative  that 
when  the  king  looked  into  the  furnace  he  saw  four  men, 
and  that  the  "  form  of  the  fourth  was  like  the  Son  of 
God."  The  inference  is  that  the  spiritual  sight  of  the 
king  was  opened  —  that  he  saw  the  spiritual  forms  of 
the  three  men,  and  the  fourth  form  was  that  of  an  angel 
who  was  filled  with   the  Divine  Spirit  or  Presence,  and 


62  rHE  BOOK  OF  DANIEL 

is  therefore  called  the  "Son  of  God,"  according  to  the 
common  version. 

This  commingling  of  natural  scenes  with  spiritual 
ones  is  difficult  to  understand,  although  there  are  simi- 
lar things  in  other  parts  of  the  Word,  as  in  the  ease  of 
.Abraham  entertaining  three  angels  at  the  door  of  his 
tent.  The  theophanies  of  Scripture  are  too  frequent  to 
admit  of  denial  unless  we  reject  the  Word  entirely. 
Let  us  not,  however,  regard  the  term  "  Son  of  God  "  as 
the  same  as  that  used  in  the  New  Testament.  In  fact 
the  correct  translation  is  "son  of  the  gods  "  -  as  in  the 
text  of  the  Revised  Version.  The  fourth  form,  I  take 
it,  was  that  of  an  angel,  and  such  an  appearance  could 
not  have  been  an  object  of  natural  sight.  Let  us  be 
careful,  however,  how  we  treat  the  Word  in  the  letter, 
or  do  away  with  the  literal  statements  of  natural  fact  or 
spiritual  phenomena.  The  statement  is  plainly  made 
that  the  three  men  came  forth  out  of  the  midst  of  the 
fire,  and  those  who  cast  them  into  the  fire  were  burned 
themselves — a  fulfilment  of  the  spiritual  law  that  the 
evil  which  men  would  do  to  others  returns  upon  them- 
selves. 

The  king,  when  he  saw  that  these  men  walked  forth 
unhurt,  commanded  that  they  should  be  promoted  in  the 
province  of  Babylon.  This  may  not  be  taken  as  an 
evidence  of  change  of  heart  on  the  part  ol  the  king. 
Evil-minded  men  do  from  compulsion  what  they  will 
not  do  voluntarily. 

In  conclusion  we  submit  the  caution  to  adhere  to  the 
mode  of  interpretation  given  in  the  writings  ol  the  New 
Church.      Where  it  is  stated  in    the    letter  of   the  Word 


GOLDEN  IMAGE  AND  FIERY   FURNACE  < > ^ 

that  things  were  seen  in  vision,  or  where  angels  are 
mentioned  as  appearing  to  men,  we  must  interpret  such 
statements  in  the  light  of  what  is  taught  in  the  New 
Church  of  the  relation  of  the  natural  world  to  the  spir- 
itual world  and  of  man's  spiritual  nature  and  connection 
with  that  world,  and  not  relegate  to  the  domain  of  spec- 
ulation what  is  clearly  revealed  by  the  Lord  in  His 
Holy  Word. 


,,j  INI.  BOOK  OF  DANIEL 


CHAPTER    IV. 

Nebuchadnezzar  the  king,  unto  all  the  peoples,  nations, 
and  languages,  that  dwell  in  all  the  earth  ;  peace  be  multi- 

2  plied  unto  you.  It  hath  seemed  good  unto  me  to  shew  the 
signs  and  wonders  that  the  Most  High  God  hath  wrought 

3  toward  me.  How  great  are  his  signs  !  and  how  mighty  are 
his  wonders  !  his  kingdom  is  an  everlasting  kingdom,  and 
his  dominion  is  from  generation  to  generation. 

4  I   Nebuchadnezzar  was  at  rest  in  mine  house,  and  flour- 

5  ishing  in  my  palace.  I  saw  a  dream  which  made  me  afraid  ; 
and  the  thoughts  upon  my  bed  and  the  visions  of  my  head 

6  troubled  me.  Therefore  made  I  a  decree  to  bring  in  all  the 
wise  men  of  Babylon  before  me,  that  they  might  make  known 

7  unto  me  the  interpretation  of  the  dream.  Then  came  in  the 
magicians,  the  enchanters,  the  Chaldeans,  and  the  sooth- 
sayers :  and  I  told  the  dream  before  them  ;  but  they  did 

8  not  make  known  unto  me  the  interpretation  thereof.  But 
at  the  last  Daniel  came  in  before  me,  whose  name  was  Bel- 
teshazzar,  according  to  the  name  of  my  god,  and  in  whom 
is  the  spirit  of  the  holy  gods  :  and  I  told  the  dream  before 

9  him.  sayings  0  Belteshazzar,  master  of  the  magicians,  be- 
cause I  know  that  the  spirit  of  the  holy  gods  is  in  thee, 
and   no   secret   troubleth   thee,  tell   me   the   visions  of  my 

io  dream  that  I  have  seen,  and  the  interpretation  thereof.  Thus 
were  the  visions  of  my  head  upon  my  bed  :  I  saw,  and  be- 
hold a  tree  in  the  midst  of  the  earth,  and  the  height  thereof 

1 1  was  great.  The  tree  grew,  and  was  strong,  and  the  height 
thereof  reached   unto  heaven,  and  the  sight  thereof  to  the 

12  end  of  all  the  earth.  The  leaves  thereof  were  fair,  and  the 
fruit  thereof  much,  and  in  it  was  meat  for  all  :  the  beasts 
of  the  field  had  shadow  under  it,  and  the  fowls  of  the 
heaven  dwelt  in  the  branches  thereof,  and  all  flesh  was  ial 


NEBUCHADNEZZAR'S  SECOND  DREAM  fie 

13  of  it.  I  saw  in  the  visions  of  my  head  upon  my  bed,  and, 
behold,  a  watcher  and  an  holy  one  came  down  from  heaven. 

14  He  cried  aloud,  and  said  thus,  Hew  down  the  tree,  and 
cut  off  his  branches,  shake  off  his  leaves,  and  scatter  his 
fruit :  let  the  beasts  get  away  from  under  it,  and  the  fowls 

15  from  his  branches.  Nevertheless  leave  the  stump  of  his 
roots  in  the  earth,  even  with  a  band  of  iron  and  brass,  in 
the  tender  grass  of  the  field  ;  and  let  it  be  wet  with  the  dew 
of   heaven,  and  let  his  portion  be  with  the  beasts   in  the 

16  grass  of  the  earth  :  let  his  heart  be  changed  from  man's,  and 
let  a  beast's  heart  be  given  unto  him  ;  and  let  seven  times 

1  7  pass  over  him.  The  sentence  is  by  the  decree  of  the  watchers, 
and  the  demand  by  the  word  of  the  holy  ones  :  to  the  intent 
that  the  living  may  know  that  the  Most  High  ruleth  in  the 
kingdom  of  men,  and  giveth  it  to  whomsoever  he  will,  and 

18  setteth  up  over  it  the  lowest  of  men.  This  dream  I  king 
Nebuchadnezzar  have  seen  :  and  thou,  O  Belteshazzar,  de- 
clare the  interpretation,  forasmuch  as  all  the  wise  men  of 
my  kingdom  are  not  able  to  make  known  unto  me  the  in- 
terpretation ;  but  thou  art  able,  for  the  spirit  of  the  holy 
gods  is  in  thee. 

19  Then  Daniel,  whose  name  was  Belteshazzar,  was  aston- 
ied  for  a  while,  and  his  thoughts  troubled  him.  The  king 
answered  and  said,  Belteshazzar,  let  not  the  dream,  or  the 
interpretation,  trouble  thee.  Belteshazzar  answered  and  said, 
My  lord,  the  dream  be  to  them  that  hate  thee,  and  the  in- 

20  terpretation  thereof  to  thine  adversaries.  The  tree  that  thou 
sawest,  which  grew,  and  was  strong,  whose  height  reached 
unto  the  heaven,  and  the  sight  thereof  to   all   the   earth  ; 

21  whose  leaves  were  fair,  and  the  fruit  thereof  much,  and 
in  it  was  meat  for  all ;  under  which  the  beasts  of  the  field 
dwelt,  and  upon  whose  branches  the  fowls  of  the   heaven 

22  had  their  habitation  :  it  is  thou,  O  king,  that  art  grown  and 


dC)  THE  Honk  OF  DANIEL 

become   strong  :  for  thy  greatness  is  grown,  and  reacheth 
unto  heaven,  and  thy  dominion   to   the  end  of  the  earth. 

23  And  whereas  the  king  saw  a  watcher  and  an  holy  one  corn- 
in-  down  from  heaven,  and  saying,  Hew  down  the  tree,  and 
destroy  it ;  nevertheless  leave  the  stump  of  the  roots  thereof 
in  the  earth,  even  with  a  band  of  iron  and  brass,  in  the 
tender  grass  of  the  field  ;  and  let  it  be  wet  with  the  dew  of 
heaven,  and  let  his  portion  be  with  the  beasts  of  the  field, 

24  till  seven  times  pass  over  him  ;  this  is  the  interpretation.  O 
king,  and  it  is  the  decree  of  the  Most  High,  which  is  come 

25  upon  my  lord  the  king  :  that  thou  shalt  be  driven  from  men, 
and  thy  dwelling  shall  be  with  the  beasts  of  the  field,  and 
thou  shalt  be  made  to  eat  grass  as  oxen,  and  shalt  be  wet 
with  the  dew  of  heaven,  and  seven  times  shall  pass  over 
thee  ;  till  thou  know  that  the  Most  High  ruleth  in  the  king- 

26  dom  of  men,  and  giveth  it  to  whomsoever  he  will.  And 
whereas  they  commanded  to  leave  the  stump  of  the  tree 
roots  ;  thy  kingdom  shall  be  sure  unto  thee,  after  that  thou 

27  shalt  have  known  that  the  heavens  do  rule.  Wherefore,  O 
king,  let  my  counsel  be  acceptable  unto  thee,  and  break  off 
thy  sins  by  righteousness,  and  thine  iniquities  by  shewing 
mercy  to  the   poor  ;  if  there  may  be  a  lengthening  of  thy 

28  tranquillity.     All  this  came  upon  the  king  Nebuchadnezzar. 

29  At  the    end  of  twelve   months  he  was  walking  in  the  royal 

30  palace  of  Babylon.  The  king  spake  and  said.  Is  not  this 
great  Babylon,  which  I  have  built  for  the  royal  dwelling  place, 
by  the  might  of  my  power,  and  for  the  glory  of  my  majesty  ? 

3 1  While  the  word  was  in  the  king's  mouth,  there  fell  a  voice  from 
heaven,  saying,  O  king  Nebuchadnezzar,  to  thee  it  is  spoken  : 

32  the  kingdom  is  departed  from  thee.  And  thou  shalt  be  driven 
from  men,  and  thy  dwelling  shall  he  with  the  beasts  of  the  field  ; 
thou  shalt  be  made  to  eat  grass  as  oxen,  ami  seven  times 
shall   pass  over  thee  ;  until  thou  know  that  the   Most  High 


NEBUCHADNEZZAR'S  SECOND  DREAM 


67 


ruleth  in  the  kingdom  of  men,  and  giveth  it  to  whomsoever 

33  he  will.  The  same  hour  was  the  thing  fulfilled  upon  Nebu- 
chadnezzar :  and  he  was  driven  from  men,  and  did  eat  grass 
as  oxen,  and  his  body  was  wet  with  the  dew  of  heaven, 
till   his   hair  was  grown  like  eagles'  feathers,  and   his  nails 

34  like  birds'  claws.  And  at  the  end  of  the  days  I  Nebuchad- 
nezzar lifted  up  mine  eyes  unto  heaven,  and  mine  under- 
standing returned  unto  me,  and  I  blessed  the  Most  High, 
and  I  praised  and  honored  him  that  liveth  for  ever ;  for  his 
dominion  is  an  everlasting  dominion,  and  his  kingdom  from 

35  generation  to  generation  :  and  all  the  inhabitants  of  the 
earth  are  reputed  as  nothing  :  and  he  doeth  according  to 
his  will  in  the  army  of  heaven,  and  among  the  inhabitants 
of  the  earth  :  and  none  can  stay  his  hand,  or  say  unto  him, 

36  What  doest  thou?  At  the  same  time  mine  understanding 
returned  unto  me  ;  and  for  the  glory  of  my  kingdom,  my 
majesty  and  brightness  returned  unto  me  ;  and  my  coun- 
sellors and  my  lords  sought  unto  me  ;  and  I  was  established 
in  my  kingdom,  and  excellent  greatness  was  added  unto  me. 

37  Now  I  Nebuchadnezzar  praise  and  extol  and  honor  the  King 
of  heaven  ;  for  all  his  works  are  truth,  and  his  ways  judg- 
ment ;  and  those  that  walk  in  pride  he  is  able  to  abase. 


REFERENCES. 

Verses.  Numbers. 

1-4 P.  P. 

1  to  end A.  R.  717 

3-  4 A.  C.  3762 

5 D.  Lord  48 

5,  6 F.  P. 

6 A.  C.  5223 

7-9 A.  E.  109;    P.  P. 


C)S  THE  BOOK  I  >F  DANIEL 

7~" •    A.  C.  9553 

7-13 A.  R.  567;   A.  E.  650;   Coronis  3 

7-14 A.  E.  1029 

7-12,  14,  15 A.  E.  1 100 

7"".  '7.  '8 A.  R.  757 

7.  9.  1 1.  18 A.  C.  5149 

7,  19 A.  E.  1029 

8,  1 7 A.  C.  9489 

9 A.  C.  3384;   A.  E.  662 

9,  11 A.  R.  930 

9,  18 A.  C.  776 

10 A.  C.  9229;   A.  R.  158;   A.  E.  204 

10,  11 P.  P. 

10-13,  17-31 Diet.  P.  11 

10,  20 D.  Lord  40;   A.  R.  173;  T.  C.  R.  93 

12,  13,  14 P.  P. 

13,  22»  29 A.  C.  395,  9228;   A.  E.  257 

14,  21,  31 A.  C.  8153 

15,  16 P.  P. 

17-19 A.  E.  1029 

17-30 P.  P. 

25,  26 T.  C.  R.  644 

27 A.  E.  1029 

27-29 A.  E.  650 

29 A.  C.  274 

29-31 A.  E.  1029 

3° A.  C.  3301;   A.  R.  47 

31 A.  C.  29;   A.  R.  60,  474 

31-34 P.P. 

34 A.  E.  1029 

Chapter  cited V.  ('.  1320 


NEBUCHADNEZZAR'S  SECOND  DREAM  6g 

COMMENTARY. 
Nebuchadnezzar's  second  dream. 

The  opening  verses  of  the  fourth  chapter  of  the 
Book  of  Daniel,  one  to  three,  have  reference  to  the  de- 
cree which  Nebuchadnezzar  made,  after  witnessing  the 
miracle  of  the  saving  of  Shadrach,  Meshach,  and  Abed- 
nego  in  the  fiery  furnace.      They  are  in  these  words  : 

Nebuchadnezzar  the  King,  unto  all  the  peoples,  nations,  and 
languages,  that  dwell  in  all  the  earth  :  Peace  be  multiplied  unto 
you.  It  hath  seemed  good  unto  me  to  shew  the  signs  and 
wonders  that  the  Most  High  God  hath  wrought  towards  me. 
How  great  are  His  signs  !  and  how  mighty  are  His  wonders  ! 
His  kingdom  is  an  everlasting  kingdom,  and  His  dominion 
from  generation  to  generation. 

These  words  seem  properly  to  belong  to  the  preced- 
ing chapter,  forming  a  conclusion  to  the  wonderful  mir- 
acle, and  they  are  so  placed  by  Swedenborg,  as  already 
noticed. 

The  language  seems  like  the  expression  of  a  humble 
servant  of  the  Lord  ;  the  sincere  acknowledgment  of 
the  Lord's  power.  Nebuchadnezzar  was,  no  doubt, 
much  impressed  by  what  he  had  witnessed.  But  he 
was  operated  upon  by  fear,  and  not  by  love  to  the  Lord. 
Those  who  are  in  the  love  of  dominion  are  often  com- 
pelled to  acknowledge  the  Lord's  power,  although  they 
have  not  ceased  to  love  themselves,  and  to  desire  to  ex- 
ercise dominion  over  others.  The  language  of  the  Popes 
of  Rome  has  been  full  of  this  lip  confession,  while  in 


70 


THE  BOOK  OF  DANIEL 


their  hearts  they  have  thought  of  the  power  of  Rome, 
and  desired  the  submission  of  others  to  their  decrees. 
There  have  been,  of  course,  notable  exceptions.  This 
feeling,  however,  is  almost  inseparable  from  the  exercise 
of  arbitrary  power.  What  follows  in  this  chapter  shows 
this. 

The  second  dream  of  Nebuchadnezzar  is  a  revelation 
of  the  state  of  his  own  life,  and,  in  the  higher  spiritual 
meaning,  it  shows  the  spiritual  state  of  the  church,  at 
the  last  times,  when  it  is  wholly  given  up  to  the  love  of 
dominion  originating  in  the  love  of  self.  Some  doubt 
has  been  expressed  whether  in  his  madness  —  which 
was  of  the  species  called  lycanthropy  (from  two  Greek 
words,  lukos,  a  wolf,  and  antkropos,  a  man)  —  he  actually 
led  the  life  of  a  beast,  or  only  imagined  himself  to  do 
the  things  which  Daniel  predicted.  From  the  language 
used  by  Swedenborg,  in  A.  E.  1029,  it  would  seem  that 
we  ought  to  accept  the  statement  as  it  is  given  in  this 
chapter  literally,  that  is,  as  an  historical  fact,  especially 
in  verse  33,  where  the  words  of  Daniel  are  declared  to 
have  been  fulfilled.  But  the  spiritual  meaning  is  of 
course  more  important.  We  are  told  in  the  passage 
from  the  Apocalypse  Explained,  above  cited,  that  "  by 
the  state  of  Nebuchadnezzar  is  described  the  state  of 
those  after  death  who  extol  themselves  as  gods  over  all 
things  of  the  church,  namely,  that  they  are  driven  out 
from  man,  that  is,  that  they  are  no  longer  men  as  to 
understanding;  that  they  become  beasts,  ami  eat  grass 
as  oxen,  and  that  their  hairs  grow  like  the  eagles',  and 
their  nails  like  birds'  claws,  wherein'  is  signified  that 
they  are  altogether  sensual,  that  in  place  of  intelligence 


NEBUCHADNEZZAR'S  SECOND  DREAM 


71 


they  have  infatuation,  and  in  place  of  wisdom  insanity ; 
to  eat  grass,  to  have  hair  like  eagles'  and  nails  like 
birds'  claws,  signifies  to  become  sensual." 

We  can  readily  understand  that  in  a  state  of  insanity 
where  there  is  a  loss  of  all  rationality  a  person  may  be- 
come in  outward  appearance  like  a  beast,  and  may  even 
act  like  one,  snatching  and  eating  grass,  although  he 
could  not  live  upon  it  as  food. 

Let  us  now  consider  briefly  this  second  dream  of  the 
king.  As  in  the  first  dream,  it  is  recited  in  full,  as  the 
king  told  it  to  Daniel,  and  it  is  then  repeated  as  Daniel 
gave  the  interpretation,  with  the  particulars,  some  of 
which  are  repeated  again  when  the  fulfilment  is  given. 
The  dream  and  the  interpretation  are  one. 

The  great  tree  which  was  strong  and  reached  unto 
heaven  has  a  double  representation  —  it  represents  in 
the  first  place,  Nebuchadnezzar  himself,  and  all  who, 
like  him,  are  filled  with  the  love  of  dominion  and  be- 
come insane  from  its  lust  ;  and,  at  the  same  time,  it  rep- 
resents the  church  at  its  consummation  when  this  love 
prevails. 

As  in  the  former  case,  the  king  called  in  the  magi- 
cians, the  astrologers,  the  Chaldeans,  and  the  sooth- 
sayers to  interpret  the  dream.  One  would  suppose 
that  they  having  failed  to  interpret  his  former  dream, 
the  king  would  not  seek  them  again.  This  only  shows, 
however,  that  those  who  do  not  fully  believe  in  the  Lord, 
and  love  Him,  will,  even  after  they  have  known  from 
Divine  revelation  that  the  truth  must  be  derived  from 
the  Word,  still  resort  to  external  signs  and  proofs  to 
know  the  will  of  God. 


7- 


THE  HOOK  <>1-   DANIEL 


The  correspondence  of  the  tree  to  the  church  must 
In-  found  in  man  himself,  for  the  church  is  only  a  man 
in  a  larger  form.  The  leaves  of  the  tree  are  the  thoughts 
and  perceptions  of  the  mind,  which  are  at  first  connected 
with  some  knowledge  of  God,  and  thus  have  a  fair  ap- 
pearance. It  is  said  "the  fruit  was  much,"  according 
to  the  Revised  Version,  but  Swedenborg  translates  it, 
"the  flower  thereof  much,"  which  seems  to  refer  to  the 
blossoms  from  which  the  fruit  comes.  There  is  a  cor- 
respondence here  to  works,  because  the  fruit  of  a  tree 
corresponds  to  the  good  which  is  done  by  man.  But 
there  are  different  kinds  of  works — those  which  are 
done  from  knowledge  before  it  becomes  fully  united 
with  the  love  of  doing-  good  to  others,  are  only  fruit 
blossoms  which  may  never  grow  into  fruit. 

The  beasts  of  the  field  and  the  fowls  of  the  air  are 
the  affections  of  the  mind  and  the  thoughts  of  man 
which  look  to  self;  for  this  tree  although  it  grew  to- 
wards heaven,  does  not  really  represent  the  spiritual 
church.  It  cannot  be  said  that  the  first  Christian 
Church  was  a  spiritual  church.  It  did  not  have  a  true 
idea  of  the  Lord  in  His  Divine  Humanity  as  the  source 
of  all  life  and  power  ;  consequently  it  fell  away  and  be- 
came a  prey  to  the  love  of  dominion.  Had  the  tree 
been  good,  it  would  have  afforded  shelter  for  all  the 
harmless  and  innocent  beasts  and  birds,  and  it  would 
not  have  been  hewn  down. 

In  the  process  of  time,  when  this  church  was  fully 
consummated,  a  judgment  was  executed  upon  it.  This 
judgment  was  accompanied  by  a  new  revelation  of  Di- 
vine truth.     The  Lord  revealed  Himself  anew  in   order 


NEBUCHADNEZZAR'S  SECOND  DREAM  73 

that  the  state  of  the  church  might  be  known.  This  is 
denoted  by  the  "  watcher  "  and  the  "  holy  one  "  who 
came  down  from  heaven.  The  judgment  was  that  this 
tree  should  be  hewn  down  and  destroyed,  but  the  stump 
of  the  roots  should  be  left  in  the  earth,  even  with  a 
band  of  iron  and  brass,  in  the  tender  grass  of  the  field, 
and  it  is  added,  "let  it  be  wet  with  the  dew  of  heaven, 
and  let  his  portion  be  with  the  beasts  of  the  field  until 
seven  times  pass  over  him." 

When  Daniel  comes  to  interpret  these  words  he  ap- 
plies them  directly  to  the  king,  who  is  warned  what  his 
fate  will  be  ;  but  as  Nebuchadnezzar  and  his  kingdom 
represent  the  church,  either  in  a  state  of  purity  filled 
with  the  genuine  love  of  the  Lord,  or  consummated  and 
filled  with  the  unholy  love  of  dominion,  we  may  properly 
understand  these  words  as  referring  to  the  church  at  the 
time  of  its  consummation,  and  the  judgment  upon  it. 
The  effect  of  every  judgment  is  to  remove  all  the  mere 
appearances  of  religion,  especially  all  external  forms 
which  are  not  in  correspondence  with  heavenly  inter- 
nals. The  Roman  Catholic  Church  has  maintained  its 
power  in  the  world  through  these  very  externals.  When 
these  are  removed  there  remains  nothing  but  the  stump 
with  the  roots.  These  roots  denote  the  different  mo- 
tives of  the  will  from  which  the  tree  or  the  man  has 
derived  his  power  and  life.  If  there  be  any  remains  of 
good,  these  will  be  kept  alive  by  the  dews  of  heaven 
—  by  influx  of  truth  from  the  Lord  into  the  internal 
degree  of  human  life. 

At  the  end  of  every  church  or  dispensation  there  are 
these  remains  of  <rood   in   the  will  from  which  a  new 


74 


I  III     15(K)K  »>l-    I'WIII 


church  may  be  formed.  Hut  there  must  be  a  full  con- 
summation which  is  meant  by  the  words,  "seven  times 
shall  pass  over  him." 

The  love  of  dominion  is  suffered  to  continue  and  to 
exalt  itself  until  it  produces  spiritual  insanity.  During 
this  state  the  church  is  kept  together  by  bands  of  brass 
and  iron.  When  the  king  was  walking  in  his  palace 
twelve  months  after  Daniel,  called  Belteshazzar,  had  in- 
terpreted this  dream,  and  was  exulting  in  his  power  and 
grandeur,  the  voice  came  from  heaven  telling  him  that 
the  kingdom  had  departed  from  him,  and  in  the  same 
hour  the  judgment  was  fulfilled  —  and  the  king  became 
an  outlaw  and  a  wanderer,  losing  his  reason  and  becom- 
ing like  a  beast. 

When  man  is  left  to  himself,  unrestrained  by  law,  and 
all  his  natural  passions  burn  within  him,  he  loses  all 
rationality.  This  will  continue  until  the  evil  has  spent 
its  power,  and  then  if  there  be  still  some  good  left,  the 
Lord  raises  him  up  and  he  again  becomes  rational,  obe- 
dient, loving,  and  wise.  The  return  of  Nebuchadnezzar 
to  power  seems  to  be  confirmed  by  what  remains  to  us 
of  the  history  of  those  times,  and  1  cannot  but  regard 
the  concluding  words  of  the  chapter,  where  he  ascribes 
honor  and  glory  and  dominion  to  the  Lord,  or  the  Most 
High,  to  be  the  expression  of  true  worship,  unless  in- 
deed, by  the  Most  High,  he  meant  his  own  god,  Bel- 
Merodach.  I  think  the  representation  changes  after 
his  return  to  reason.  These  last  words  oi  praise  and 
honor  are  not  those  of  a  proud  ecclesiastic  or  ruler,  who 
still  cherishes  the  love  of  dominion.  The  Babylonians, 
even,  may  become  changed.      The  love  of  dominion  orig- 


NEBUCHADNEZZAR'S  SECOND  DREAM  75 

inating  in  the  love  of  self  may  become  the  love  of 
ruling  for  the  sake  of  serving.  Certain  it  is  that  this 
must  be  the  case  with  every  one  in  whom  the  kingdom 
of  heaven  is  established. 

In  verse  seventeen  of  this  chapter,  we  read  these 
words  : 

The  sentence  is  by  the  decree  of  the  watchers,  and  the  de- 
mand by  the  word  of  the  holy  ones  ;  to  the  intent  that  the  liv- 
ing may  know  that  the  Most  High  ruleth  in  the  kingdom  of 
men,  and  giveth  it  to  whomsoever  He  will,  and  setteth  up  over 
it  the  lowest  of  men. 

It  is  a  common  belief  that  the  Lord  makes  use  of  all 
kinds  of  instruments  to  accomplish  His  ends,  and  even 
permits  evil  men  to  do  good  that  His  kingdom  may  ul- 
timately prevail.  What  is  meant  by  the  "  lowest  of 
men,"  in  this  verse,  does  not  clearly  appear,  unless  it 
refers  to  those  who  are  suffered  to  rule,  after  those  of 
the  Babylonish  character  are  removed.  We  have  seen 
kingdoms  fall  and  men  of  low  degree  assume  the  places 
of  power  that  have  been  filled  by  the  learned  and  the 
great.  In  all  the  changes  of  government  the  end  which 
the  Lord  has  in  view  is  the  final  reign  of  His  own  truth 
and  love  in  the  hearts  of  men. 

In  regard  to  the  interpretation  of  this  dream  by 
Daniel,  we  have  a  remarkable  statement  from  Daniel 
himself.  When  the  king  saw  that  the  dream  troubled 
Daniel,  he  said  :  "  Belteshazzar,  let  not  the  dream,  or 
the  interpretation,  trouble  thee."  Belteshazzar  answered 
and  said  :  "  The  dream  be  to  them  that  hate  thee,  and 
the  interpretation  thereof  to  thine  adversaries. 


-■C)  THE  BOl  >K  I  IF  DANIEL 

The  Word  of  the  Lord  is  interpreted  in  one  way  by 
the  good,  and  in  the  opposite  way  by  the  evil.  The 
king's  enemies  arc  those  who  would  confirm  him  in  the 
love  of  dominion,  and  these  are  the  evil  spirits  who  con- 
tinually act  upon  man's  evil  affections  and  endeavor  to 
confirm  him  in  evil  through  false  persuasions.  But  the 
truth  always  reacts  against  those  who  pervert  and  pro- 
fane it,  so  that  while  the  Word  is  a  light  and  protection 
to  the  good,  it  is  the  means  of  destruction  to  its  ene- 
mies. Daniel's  interpretation  of  the  dream  must  be 
understood  in  this  way,  and  our  own  application  of  it, 
as  exhibiting  the  dangerous  and  deadly  character  of  this 
evil  love,  should  be  to  that  love  in  ourselves,  which  is 
our  greatest  enemy,  and  is  diametrically  opposed  to  the 
love  which  reigns  in  the  highest  heaven,  the  love  of 
ruling  for  the  sake  only  of  promoting  the  good  of  the 
Lord's  kingdom. 


BELSHAZZAR'S  FEAST  J  J 


CHAPTER    V. 

Belshazzar  the  king  made  a  great  feast  to  a  thousand  of 

2  his  lords,  and  drank  wine  before  the  thousand.  Belshazzar, 
whiles  he  tasted  the  wine,  commanded  to  bring  the  golden 
and  silver  vessels  which  Nebuchadnezzar  his  father  had  taken 
out  of  the  temple  which  was  in  Jerusalem  ;  that  the  king 
and   his  lords,  his  wives  and  his  concubines,  might  drink 

3  therein.  Then  they  brought  the  golden  vessels  that  were 
taken  out  of  the  temple  of  the  house  of  God  which  was  at 
Jerusalem  ;  and  the  king  and  his  lords,  his  wives  and   his 

4  concubines,  drank  in  them.  They  drank  wine,  and  praised 
the  gods  of  gold,  and  of  silver,  of  brass,  of  iron,  of  wood, 

5  and  of  stone.  In  the  same  hour  came  forth  the  fingers  of 
a  man's  hand,  and  wrote  over  against  the  candlestick  upon 
the  plaister  of  the  wall  of  the  king's  palace  :  and  the  king 

6  saw  the  part  of  the  hand  that  wrote.  Then  the  king's  coun- 
tenance was  changed  in  him.  and  his  thoughts  troubled  him  ; 
and  the  joints  of  his  loins  were  loosed,  and  his  knees  smote 

7  one  against  another.  The  king  cried  aloud  to  bring  in  the 
enchanters,  the  Chaldeans,  and  the  soothsayers.  The  king 
spake  and  said  to  the  wise  men  of  Babylon,  Whosoever  shall 
read  this  writing,  and  shew  me  the  interpretation  thereof, 
shall  be  clothed  with  purple,  and  have  a  chain  of  gold  about 

8  his  neck,  and  shall  be  the  third  ruler  in  the  kingdom.  Then 
came  in  all  the  king's  wise  men  :  but  they  could  not  read 
the  writing,  nor  make  known  to  the  king  the  interpretation. 

9  Then  was  king  Belshazzar  greatly  troubled,  and  his  counte- 
nance was  changed  in  him,  and  his  lords  were  perplexed. 

io  Now  the  queen  by  reason  of  the  words  of  the  king  and  his 
lords  came  into  the  banquet  house  :  the  queen  spake  and 
said,  O  king,  live  for  ever  ;  let  not  thy  thoughts  trouble  thee, 

1 1  nor  let  thy  countenance  be  changed  :  there  is  a  man  in  thy 


jS  THE  BOOK  '  >F  DANIEL 

kingdom,  in  whom  is  the  spirit  of  the  holy  gods  ;  and  in 
the  days  of  thy  father  light  and  understanding  and  wisdom, 
like  the  wisdom  of  the  gods,  was  found  in  him  :  and  the 
king  Nebuchadnezzar  thy  father,  the  king,  I  say,  thy  father, 
made  him  master  of  the  magicians,  enchanters.  Chaldeans, 

12  and  soothsayers;  forasmuch  as  an  excellent  spirit,  and 
knowledge,  and  understanding,  interpreting  of  dreams,  and 
shewing  of  dark  sentences,  and  dissolving  of  doubts,  were 
found  in  the  same  Daniel,  whom  the  king  named  Uelteshaz- 
zar.  Now  let  Daniel  be  called,  and  he  will  shew  the  inter- 
pretation. 

13  Then  was  Daniel  brought  in  before  the  king.  The  king 
spake  and  said  unto  Daniel,  Art  thou  that  Daniel,  which  art 
of  the  children  of  the  captivity  of  Judah,  whom  the  king  my 

14  father  brought  out  of  Judah  ?  I  have  heard  of  thee,  that  the 
spirit  of  the  gods  is  in  thee,  and  that  light  and  understand- 

15  ing  and  excellent  wisdom  is  found  in  thee.  And  now  the 
wise  men,  the  enchanters,  have  been  brought  in  before  me, 
that  they  should  read  this  writing,  and  make  known  unto 
me  the  interpretation  thereof:  but  they  could  not  shew  the 

16  interpretation  of  the  thing.  But  I  have  heard  of  thee,  that 
thou  canst  give  interpretations,  and  dissolve  doubts  :  now  if 
thou  canst  read  the  writing,  and  make  known  to  me  the  in- 
terpretation thereof,  thou  shalt  be  clothed  with  purple,  and 
have  a  chain  of  gold  about  thy  neck,  and  shalt  be  the  third 

17  ruler  in  the  kingdom.  Then  Daniel  answered  and  said  be- 
fore the  king,  Let  thy  gifts  be  to  thyself,  and  give  thy  rewards 
to  another ;  nevertheless  T  will  read  the  writing  unto   the 

18  king,  and  make  known  to  him  the  interpretation.  0  thou 
king,  the  Most  High  God  gave  Nebuchadnezzar  thy  father 

19  the  kingdom,  and  greatness,  and  glory,  and  majesty  :  and 
because  of  the  greatness  that  he  gave  him,  all  the  peoples, 
nations,  and   languages  trembled  and  feared   before  him  : 


BELSHAZZAR'S  FEAST 


79 


whom  he  would  he  slew,  and  whom  he  would  he  kept  alive  ; 
and  whom  he  would  he  raised  up,  and  whom  he  would  he 

20  put  down.  But  when  his  heart  was  lifted  up,  and  his  spirit 
was  hardened  that  he  dealt  proudly,  he  was  deposed  from 

21  his  kingly  throne,  and  they  took  his  glory  from  him  :  and 
he  was  driven  from  the  sons  of  men  ;  and  his  heart  was 
made  like  the  beasts,  and  his  dwelling  was  with  the  wild 
asses  ;  he  was  fed  with  grass  like  oxen,  and  his  body  was 
wet  with  the  dew  of  heaven  :  until  he  knew  that  the  Most 
High  God  ruleth  in  the  kingdom  of  men,  and  that  he  set- 

22  teth  up  over  it  whomsoever  he  will.  And  thou  his  son,  O 
Belshazzar,  hast  not  humbled  thine  heart,  though  thou  knevv- 

23  est  all  this  ;  but  hast  lifted  up  thyself  against  the  Lord  of 
heaven  ;  and  they  have  brought  the  vessels  of  his  house  be- 
fore thee,  and  thou  and  thy  lords,  thy  wives  and  thy  concu- 
bines, have  drunk  wine  in  them  ;  and  thou  hast  praised  the 
gods  of  silver,  and  gold,  of  brass,  iron,  wood,  and  stone, 
which  see  not,  nor  hear,  nor  know  :  and  the  God  in  whose 
hand  thy  breath  is,  and  whose   are   all  thy  ways,  hast  thou 

24  not  glorified  :  then  was  the  part  of  the  hand  sent  from  be- 

25  fore  him,  and  this  writing  was  inscribed.  And  this  is  the 
writing  that  was  inscribed,  mene,  mene,  tekel,  upharsin. 

26  This  is  the  interpretation  of  the   thing  :  mene  ;  God  hath 

27  numbered  thy  kingdom,  and  brought  it  to  an  end.  tekel  ; 
thou  art  weighed  in  the  balances,  and  art  found  wanting. 

28  perf.s  ;    thy  kingdom  is  divided,  and  given  to  the   Medes 

29  and  Persians.  Then  commanded  Belshazzar,  and  they 
clothed  Daniel  with  purple,  and  put  a  chain  of  gold  about 
his  neck,  and  made  proclamation  concerning  him,  that  he 

30  should  be  the  third  ruler  in  the  kingdom.     In  that  night 

31  Belshazzar  the  Chaldean  king  was  slain.  And  Darius  the 
Mede  received  the  kingdom,  being  about  threescore  and 
two  years  old. 


,S0  THE  BOOK  OF  DANIEL 

REFERENCES. 

Verses.  Numbers. 

1-4 P.  P. 

1-5  and  following A.  R.  459 

1  and  following A.  E.  587 

1  to  end         .     A.  C.  1326;    L.  J.  54;    A.  R.  717;    A.  E.  1029;    Diet.  P.  12 

1,  2,  25-28 A.  R.  313 

2 A.  R.  913 

2-4 H.&H.  365;   A.  E.  220 

2-5 A.  R.  316 

2  and  following A.  C.  3079;    A.  E.  242 

2-4  and  following A.  C.  10227 

2-5,  21 A.  E.  376 

2-4,  23 A.  C.  8932 

2-4,  25,  28 A.  C.  9093 

2,  5,  25,  26 A.  E.  453 

2,  5,  27 A.  R.  364 

3-5 A.  ('.  1 183 

5,  6 P.  P. 


7-9 


P.  P. 


10-24 P.  P. 

u A.  C.  5223 

11,12,14 D.  L.&W.  383 

12,14 A.  C.  9818;  T.  C.  R.  156;   A.  E.  183 

23 A.  E.  1029 

25 A.  C.  10217 

25-28 A.  C.  3104;   A.  E.  373;    P.  P. 

25,  30 A.  R.  316 

29,  3° R  P- 

30 A.  C.  3079 

Chapter  cited T.  C.  R.  754 


BELSHAZZAR'S  FEAST  8  I 

COMMENTARY. 

BELSHAZZAR'S    FEAST. 

We  have  considered  what  is  said  of  Nebuchadnezzar 
in  the  first  four  chapters  of  this  book  of  Daniel.  This 
king  now  passes  out  of  sight  at  the  end  of  the  fourth 
chapter.  It  is  a  little  remarkable  that  nothing  is  said 
of  his  death.  His  reason  returned  to  him,  and  it  is 
said  that  "he  praised,  extolled,  and  honored  the  King 
of  heaven,"  but  we  are  not  told  how  he  came  to  his  end. 

When  it  is  said  of  Nebuchadnezzar,  "  thou  art  this 
head  of  gold "  (chap.  ii.  ver.  28),  he  represents  the 
highest  principle  —  the  love  of  good  derived  from  the 
Lord  —  and  the  desire  that  this  principle  should  rule 
among  men.  But  this  principle  when  perverted  be- 
comes the  love  of  dominion  from  the  love  of  self,  which 
destroys  the  church.  The  successive  states  of  vasta- 
tion  through  which  the  church  passes,  are  denoted  by 
the  things  that  are  related  of  Nebuchadnezzar.  His 
insanity  is  that  which  arises  from  the  exercise  of  this 
evil  love.  But  he  passed  away  before  the  final  judg- 
ment came.  He  is  believed  to  have  reigned  forty-four 
years. 

A  deeper  state  of  evil,  a  lower  degree  of  profanation 
was  successively  reached,  and  this  is  represented  by 
what  is  said  of  Belshazzar,  Regent  of  Babylon,  the 
grandson  of  Nebuchadnezzar.  There  were  four  suc- 
cessors of  Nebuchadnezzar  who  occupied  the  throne 
for  brief  periods  after  his  death.  These  were  Evil 
Merodach,  Neriglissar,  Laborosarchod,  and    Nabonidns. 


32  I  HI     I!'  >0K  l  >l'   DANIEL 

The  last  named,  a  usurper,  married  a  daughter  of  Neb- 
uchadnezzar.     His  eldest  son  was  Belshazzar  [prince  of 

God),  who  seems  to  have  shared  the  throne  with  his 
lather,  or  at  least  governed  in  the  city  of  Babylon  at 
the  time  of  the  invasion   of   Babylonia   by  the   Medes 

and  Persians  under  Cyrus.  When  this  invasion  began, 
and  the  invading  army  neared  the  city,  Nabonidus  fled 
to  Borsippa,  an  outlying  suburb  of  Babylon,  where  he 
submitted  to  the  conquerors,  while  Belshazzar  remained 
in  the  city,  apparently  ignorant  of  his  impending  fate. 

In  the  light  of  these  statements  the  apparent  dis- 
crepancies in  this  fifth  chapter  of  the  book  of  Daniel 
are  removed.  The  identity  of  Belshazzar  with  the  son 
of  Nabonidus  is  now  established  by  the  inscriptions  on 
the  clay  cylinders  discovered  in  Babylon. 

What  then  does  he  represent,  and  what  is  the  signifi- 
cance of  that  great  feast  and  the  words  of  judgment 
seen  written  upon  the  wall  of  the  banquet  chamber  of 
his  palace  ? 

Belshazzar  seems  to  have  been  a  more  degraded  char- 
acter than  Nebuchadnezzar.  He  was  given  up  to  licen- 
tiousness and  excess.  Like  the  man  spoken  of  in  the 
Gospel,  he  said  to  himself,  "  Soul,  take  thine  ease,  eat, 
drink,  and  be  merry,"  not  knowing  that  the  Lord  would 
say,  "Thou  fool,  this  night  thy  soul  shall  be  required 
of  thee."  The  tendency  of  the  love  of  self  which  seeks 
power  in  the  world  is  to  degrade  man  more  and  more 
until  he  gives  himself  up  to  the  indulgence  of  his  cor- 
poreal and  sensual  appetites  and  passions.  The  great 
est  tyrants  have  become  like  beasts.  So  debasing  is 
the    infernal    lust   of   dominion.      And    when    those   who 


BELSHAZZAR'S  FEAST 


83 


have  known  the  sacred  value  of  the  truth  and  the  holi- 
ness of  heavenly  things  use  these  things  to  minister  to 
their  own  pleasure  and  to  gratify  their  ambition,  they 
are  guilty  of  the  sin  of  profanation,  out  of  which  they 
cannot  be  delivered.  The  lot  of  profaners  in  the  other 
life  is  the  worst  of  all. 

Now  let  us  turn  to  the  narrative.  "  Belshazzar  made 
a  feast  to  a  thousand  of  his  lords,  and  drank  wine  be- 
fore the  thousand."  This  is  the  initial  verse  of  the 
chapter.  The  fact  that  nothing  is  related  in  this  book 
of  the  previous  life  of  Belshazzar,  or  of  his  acts  and 
doings,  or  of  the  others  who  ruled  after  Nebuchadnez- 
zar, does  not  require  explanation.  We  need  only  refer 
to  the  general  statement,  already  given  in  previous 
notes,  that  the  Word  was  written  for  the  sake  of  its 
spiritual  meaning  ;  that  it  is  not,  strictly  speaking,  a 
connected  historical  relation,  and  that  only  such  things 
are  recorded  as  are  needed  to  convey  spiritual  truths 
relating  to  the  church  and  to  man's  spiritual  history. 

A  feast  denotes  the  appropriation  of  good  and  true 
principles  of  life  from  the  Lord,  who  is  the  source  of  all 
life,  and  at  the  same  time  the  communication  of  these 
good  and  true  things  to  others  from  a  state  of  mutual 
love.  But  in  an  opposite  sense  it  denotes  the  appropri- 
ation of  what  is  evil  and  false. 

When  man  profanes  what  is  true  and  adulterates 
what  is  good,  he  takes  delight  in  their  opposites,  and 
brings  them  forth  in  every  possible  form  of  self  indul- 
gence, associating  with  those  who  are  in  similar  evil 
and  falsity.  To  drink  wine  does  not  always  mean  to 
appropriate  what  is  false  ;  for  wine  in  a  good  sense  de- 


84 


111     Bl  "  iK  <  >F  DANIEL 


notes  truth  derived  from  the  Word  and  seen  in  spiritual 
light,  that  is  in  its  relation  to  the  good  of  life,  while  in 

an  opposite  sense  it  denotes  truth  falsified  and  used  to 
confirm  what  is  evil.  This  latter  is  the  wine  of  Baby- 
lon, or  the  wine  of  abomination,  with  which  the  nations 
have  become  drunken.  Those  who  are  in  the  love  oi 
ruling  over  others  come  into  states  of  spiritual  drunk- 
enness. The  mention  of  a  thousand  lords,  to  whom 
Belshazzar  made  his  feast,  denotes  a  full  and  complete 
state  of  profanation,  when  every  truth  is  falsified  and 
every  erood  adulterated. 

This  is  the  end  or  spiritual  consummation  of  the 
Church,  when  the  Lord  is  wholly  rejected  and  every 
religious  principle  is  denied,  even  though  it  may  be 
outwardly  acknowledged.  This  state  can  only  be  known 
to  the  Lord,  or  to  those  to  whom  lie  has  revealed  it. 

What  now  follows  in  the  text  shows  in  what  manner 
this  evil  of  profanation  takes  hold  of  holy  things  that 
relate  to  the  church  and  its  Divine  worship,  and  uses 
them  to  promote  its  own  selfish  delights. 

Belshazzar,  whiles  he  tasted  the  wine,  commanded  to  bring 
the  golden  and  silver  vessels  which  his  father.  Nebuchadnezzar, 
had  taken  out  of  the  temple  which  was  in  Jerusalem  ;  that  the 
king,  and  his  lords,  his  wives  and  his  concubines  might  drink 
therein.  Then  they  brought  the  golden  vessels  that  were  taken 
out  of  the  temple  of  the  house  of  God  which  was  at  Jerusalem  ; 
and  the  king,  and  his  lords,  his  wives  and  his  concubines  drank 
in  them.  They  drank  wine,  and  praised  the  gods  of  gold,  and 
of  silver,  of  brass,  of  iron,  of  wood,  and  of  stone.      (  Ver.  2.) 

Mere  we  have  exhibited  the  spirit  of  profanation  and 
idolatry.     The  vessels  of  gold  and  silver  which  had  been 


BELSHAZZAR'S  FEAST 


85 


used  in  the  temple  service  at  Jerusalem  represented  the 
good  and  true  principles  from  which  man  acknowledges 
and  worships  the  Lord,  and  by  which  he  is  kept  in  a 
state  of  charity  and  faith.  These  Babylonians  used 
these  vessels  for  the  purpose  of  gratifying  their  corpo- 
real appetites,  thus  profaning  holy  things.  In  the  rep- 
resentative worship  of  the  Jewish  Church  these  vessels 
themselves  were  holy  because  they  contained  the  wine 
which  corresponded  to  the  pure  and  holy  truths  of  the 
Word  derived  from  the  Lord,  which  nourish  and  sustain 
man's  spiritual  life.  But  now  they  were  used  as  sym- 
bols of  the  false  worship  of  those  who  are  in  the  love 
of  self.  The  good  is  mixed  with  evil  and  the  true  with 
the  false. 

The  holy  vessels  in  Jerusalem  were  carried  away 
more  than  once.  Ahaz  took  the  silver  and  the  gold 
from  the  house  of  the  Lord  and  sent  it  to  the  Kings  of 
Assyria  (2  Kings  xvi.  8),  Nebuchadnezzar  took  away 
what  remained  (Dan.  ii.  2.  See  also  Jer.  xxvi.  18-22  ; 
liii.  17,  24:  2  Kings  xxiv,  13).  We  read  of  their  res- 
toration in  Ezra  i.  7-1  1. 

The  gods  of  gold,  silver,  brass,  iron,  wood,  and  stone 
were  real  images  or  idols,  and  they  correspond  to  the 
false  imaginations  and  conceits  of  every  degree,  celes- 
tial, spiritual,  and  natural,  derived  from  evil  affection 
and  a  perverted  application  of  the  truth.  The  different 
degrees  of  good  and  truth,  thus  turned  into  evil  and 
falsity,  which  become  objects  of  man's  affection  and 
delight,  are  the  gold  and  silver,  the  brass  and  iron,  the 
wood  and  stone.  The  lowest  state  of  evil  and  thus  the 
end  of  the  church  is  reached  when  all  the  principles  of 


(Xf,  THE  B<  »(  IK  "I    li  Wll'.l. 

religion,  even  down  to  the  things  which  relate  to  a 
man's  natural  life  in  the  world,  are  made  subservient  to 
his  selfish  delight  and  pleasure.  Whether  we  apply 
this  to  the  individual  life  or  to  the  church  as  a  whole, 
we  may  see  that  the  teaching  is  the  same.  The  Chris- 
tian Church  reached  its  lowest  state  when  its  priests 
and  rulers  profaned  its  holiest  truths  and  mixed  them 
with  their  selfish  evil  loves,  their  very  outer  lives  fur- 
nishing scenes  of  drunkenness  and  crime. 

The  time  of  visitation  and  judgment  is  now  at  hand. 

In  the  same  hour  came  forth  the  fingers  of  a  man's  hand  and 
wrote  over  against  the  candlestick,  upon  the  plaister  of  the  wall 
of  the  king's  palace,  and  the  king  saw  the  part  of  the  hand  that 
wrote.      (Ver.  5.) 

This  was  a  revelation  manifested  by  an  outward  spir- 
itual appearance.  It  was  an  actual  manifestation  of  the 
Divine  power,  a  visitation  of  God  preparatory  to  the 
final  judgment  that  awaited  the  wicked  and  degraded 
king  and  people  who  were  revelling  in  their  mad  passion 
and  lust. 

All  judgment  is  effected  by  a  revelation  of  Divine 
Truth,  and  in  the  spiritual  meaning  this  is  signified  by 
the  handwriting  on  the  wall. 

It  was  seen  over  against  the  candlestick,  which  rep- 
resents the  false  light  of  a  consummated  church.  This 
spiritual  appearance  was  seen  by  Belshazzar,  and  it  pro- 
duced fear  and  trembling.  "Then  the  king's  counte- 
nance was  changed,  and  his  thoughts  troubled  him  ; 
and  the  joints  of  his  loins  were  loosed,  and  his  knees 
smote  one  against  another."     The  effect  oi    the  light 


BELSHAZZAR'S  FEAST  ,Sj 

upon  the  wicked  is  to  produce  fear  and  to  interrupt  the 
influx  of  life,  thus  destroying  their  power.  When  man 
is  deprived  of  the  power  of  exercising  his  evil  loves, 
his  physical  nature  gives  way  and  he  becomes  weak, 
the  joints  are  loosened. 

As  in  the  case  of  Nebuchadnezzar's  dreams,  the  as- 
trologers, the  Chaldeans,  and  the  soothsayers  are  called 
in  to  read  the  writing  and  to  give  the  interpretation. 
If  we  understand  Babylon  to  mean  the  church,  and 
particularly  the  Roman  Catholic  Church  when  it  was 
sunk  under  the  evil  of  the  love  of  dominion  by  which 
its  worship  became  profane  and  it  came  to  an  end,  we 
will  interpret  the  conduct  of  Belshazzar  to  represent  the 
acts  of  the  rulers  of  that  church,  previous  to  the  Last 
Judgment,  before  the  Lord  had  revealed  the  Heavenlv 
Doctrines  of  the  New  Jerusalem. 

They  could  not  understand  the  spiritual  meaning  of 
the  Word,  in  which  the  church  is  condemned  as  to  its 
evil  dominion.  It  is  the  same  with  every  individual. 
When  man  becomes  immersed  in  evil,  he  fails  to  see  or 
to  understand  the  signs  of  the  coming  judgment  upon 
his  own  life.  The  wise  men  of  Babylon  represent  the 
scholars  and  divines  in  the  church  who  are  appealed  to 
to  explain  the  meaning  of  the  Word.  The  revelation 
must  come  from  the  Lord,  who  is  represented  by  Daniel, 
and  by  those  who  are  enlightened  by  Him.  No  others 
can  open  the  book. 

Now  it  is  said  that  when  these  wise  men  failed,  the 
queen  said  to  the  king,  after  reciting  what  Daniel  had 
done  in  the  reign  of  Nebuchadnezzar,  "  Let  Daniel  be 
called  and  he  will  shew  the  interpretation."     The  queen 


88  I  HI-:  !'•<  M  »K  (  )|    DANIEL 

here  represents  the  remaining  affection  in  the  church, 
from  which  some  are  led  to  seek  the  truth  from  the 
Word  and  to  understand  its  meaning.  Unless  there 
were  some  remains  of  good  at  the  end  of  the  church 
none  could  he  saved. 

Daniel  was  gifted  by  the  Lord  with  knowledge  and 
wisdom  which  enabled  him  to  see  the  handwriting  and 
tell  its  meaning.  His  spiritual  sight  was  opened,  so 
that  he  could  see  the  handwriting,  and  at  the  same  time 
explain  the  meaning  of  the  inscription  :  "  Mene,  Mene, 
Tekel,  Upharsin."  "Mene:  God  hath  numbered  thy 
kingdom  and  brought  it  to  an  und.  Tekel  :  Thou  art 
weighed  in  the  balances  and  art  found  wanting.  Peres: 
Thy  kingdom  is  divided  and  given  to  the  Medes  and 
Persians." 

Now  we  must  not  mistake  the  character  of  Daniel's 
vision,  or  attribute  to  him  the  power  of  understanding 
the  spiritual  meaning  of  this  sentence  as  applicable  to 
the  state  of  the  church  at  the  time  of  its  judgment. 
As  in  the  case  of  Nebuchadnezzar's  dreams  and  their 
interpretation,  Daniel's  language  seems  to  point  only  to 
the  downfall  of  an  earthly  kingdom.  It  did  so  point. 
'Phis  was  its  lowest  meaning.  Hut  this  earthly  kingdom 
was  representative,  and  purely  so,  of  the  reign  of  the 
evil  love  of  dominion  in  the  human  heart  wherever  it 
prevails.  The  natural  power  is  only  a  type  of  the  spir- 
itual, and  this  whole  account  was  written  for  the  sake 
of  revealing  the  state  of  the  church  at  its  end,  and  not 
to  give  us  the  history  ^\  Belshazzar,  as  an  earthly  king. 

The  words,  "  God  hath  numbered  thy  kingdom  ami 
brought  it   to  an  end,"  have  reference    to    the    quality  of 


BELSHAZZAR'S  FEAST 


89 


the  church  signified  by  Babylon,  that  it  is  destitute  of 
any  truth  ;  there  was  no  truth  remaining  in  it,  at  its 
consummation.  To  number,  in  the  language  of  the 
WOrd,  signifies  to  judge  of  the  quality  or  state  of  the 
church  as  to  truth.  The  Lord  alone  can  do  this.  ,  He 
alone  reveals  the  state  of  the  church.  The  handwriting 
on  the  wall  is  the  Lord's  own  judgment  made  known  in 
the  Word.  The  words,  "  Thou  art  weighed  in  the  bal- 
ances and  art  found  wanting,"  refer  to  the  state  of  the 
church  as  to  the  principle  of  good  ;  "  thou  art  found 
wanting  "  meaning  that  there  is  no  good  remaining  with 
those  who  are  of  the  church.  There  was  a  complete 
vastation  of  the  church,  although  there  were  some  nom- 
inally members  of  it  who  were  not  spiritually  a  part  of 
it.  This  was  the  case  at  the  end  of  the  Jewish  Church. 
The  third  clause  of  the  sentence  is,  "  Thy  king- 
dom is  divided  and  given  to  the  Medes  and  Persians." 
Here  we  may  again  fall  into  the  supposition  that  this 
language  refers  merely  to  the  transfer  of  the  Babylo- 
nian Empire  to  the  Medo-Persian  power.  This  transfer 
did  take  place,  but  such  an  event  has  little  meaning  for 
us  now  unless  we  see  what  it  represents.  Judgment 
upon  the  state  of  the  church  when  it  comes  to  an  end 
is  always  followed  by  division  and  dispersion,  and  when 
one  religion  loses  its  sway  over  the  minds  of  men  an- 
other takes  its  place,  but  the  final  consummation  does 
not  come  until  both  the  will  and  understanding  are  de- 
stroyed, when  there  is  no  longer  remaining  any  love  of 
good  or  any  understanding  of  truth.  The  power  of 
Babylon  was  overthrown  in  the  night,  and  Belshazzar 
was  slain.      But  the  kingdom  was  transferred  to  another 


90 


I  I II     i:<  »( )K  <  )l    DANIK 


who  was  not  less  inclined  to  claim  the  homage  of  men. 
We  arc  told  in  the  sixth  chapter  that  Darius,  the  Mede, 
required  to  be  worshipped  as  a  god.  This  was  profa- 
nation, but  it  was  that  kind  of  profanation  which  comes 
fronj  the  exaltation  of  the  human  intellect. 

Looking  for  a  fulfilment  of  these  sayings  of  the  hook 
of  Daniel  in  the  history  of  the  Christian  Church,  we 
see  that  when  the  church  came  to  an  end  through  the 
exercise  of  the  love  of  dominion  with  the  Roman  Cath- 
olics, then  faith  alone  reared  its  head,  and  it  was  not 
until  this  kingdom  of  error  was  set  up,  which  was  also 
accompanied  by  the  loss  of  charity,  that  the  final  con- 
summation came,  and  the  judgment  was  fulfilled,  signi- 
fied by  the  words  of  the  handwriting  on  the  wall  of  the 
king's  palace.  The  kings  of  Media  and  Persia,  we  are 
told,  represent  those  who  are  in  faith  separate  from 
charity.      (Sec  Doctrine  concerning  Faitkt  No.  66.) 

But  the  reign  of  Cyrus,  who  conquered  so  many 
kingdoms  and  restored  the  Jews  to  their  own  land,  has 
another  and  a  different  meaning,  as  we  shall  show 
hereafter. 

The  command  of  Belshazzar  to  clothe  Daniel  with 
scarlet,  to  put  a  gold  chain  about  his  neck,  and  to  make 
him  the  third  ruler  in  the  kingdom,  is  only  the  enforced 
respect  of  one  who  is  compelled  to  acknowledge  the 
power  of  Divine  truth  against  the  desires  of  his  own 
heart.  The  particulars  of  the  capture  of  the  City  of 
Babylon  by  the  invading  army  by  night,  are  not  given 
in  this  book,  although  secular  history  tells  us  that  the 
forces  gained  entrance  into  the  city  by  turning  the 
waters  of  the  Euphrates  into  a  lake.       The  magnificence 


HKLSHAX/.Airs  FEAST  gi 

and  grandeur  of  this  great  city,  the  descriptions  of 
which  almost  exceed  belief,  find  some  confirmation  in 
the  allusions  to  it  in  the  Book  of  Revelation,  where  it 
symbolizes  the  power  of  the  church  in  which  the  evil 
of  dominion  holds  absolute  sway. 

This  is  Babylon  the  Great  which  has  fallen.  (See 
Jer.  ii.,  Rev.  xvii.  and  xviii.) 

It  is  worthy  of  note  that  the  thirty-first  or  concluding- 
verse  of  the  fifth  chapter  of  this  book  of  Daniel  is 
placed  by  Swedenborg  as  the  initial  verse  of  the  sixth 
chapter.  And  this  seems  to  be  its  proper  place,  if  the 
arrangement  into  chapters  is  to  be  regarded,  for  it  tells 
of  the  beginning  of  the  new  reign. 

"  And  Darius  the  Median  took  the  kingdom,  being 
about  three  score  and  two  years  old." 


9^ 


I  III     B(  m  iK  (  •!•    DANIEL 


CHAPTER    VI. 


It  pleased  1  >arius  to  set  over  the  kingdom  an  hundred  and 

twenty  satraps,  which  should  be  throughout  the  whole  king- 

2  dom  ;  and  over  them  three  presidents,  of  whom  Daniel  was 
one  ;  that   these  satraps  might  give  account  unto  them,  and 

3  that  the  king  should  have  no  damage.  Then  this  Daniel  was 
distinguished  above  the  presidents  and  the  satraps,  because 
an  excellent  spirit  was  in  him  :  and  the  king  thought  to  set 

4  him  over  the  whole  realm.  Then  the  presidents  and  the 
satraps  sought  to  find  occasion  against  Daniel  as  touching 
the  kingdom  ;  but  they  could  find  none  occasion  nor  fault  ; 
forasmuch  as  he  was  faithful,  neither  was  there  any  error  or 

5  fault  found  in  him.  Then  said  these  men.  We  shall  not  find 
any  occasion  against  this   Daniel,  except  we  find  it  against 

6  him  concerning  the  law  of  his  God.  Then  these  presidents 
and  satraps  assembled   together  to   the  king,  and  said  thus 

7  unto  him,  King  Darius,  live  for  ever.  All  the  presidents  of 
the  kingdom,  the  deputies  and  the  satraps,  the  counsellors 
and  the  governors,  have  consulted  together  to  establish  a 
royal  statute,  and  to  make  a  strong  interdict,  that  whosoever 
shall  ask  a  petition  of  any  god  or  man  for  thirty  days,  save 

8  of  thee,  ( )  king,  he  shall  be  cast  into  the  den  of  lions.  Now, 
O  king,  establish  the  interdict,  and  sign  the  writing,  that  it 
be  not  changed,  according  to  the   law  of  the    Medes   and 

9  Persians  which  altereth  not.     ^Vherefore  king  Darius  signed 
io  the  writing  and  the  interdict.      And  when  Daniel   knew  that 

the  writing  was  signed,  he  went  into  his  house  ;  (now  his 
windows  were  open  in  his  chamber  toward  Jerusalem  :)  and 
he  kneeled  upon  his  knees  three  times  a  day,  and  prayed, 

ii  and  gave  thanks  before  his  God,  as  he  did  aforetime.  Then 
these   men   assembled   together,  and   found   Daniel    making 

12  petition  and  supplication  before  his  God.      Then  they  came 


DANIEL  IN  THE  LIONS'  DEN  93 

near,  and  spake  before  the  king  concerning  the  king's  inter- 
dict ;  Hast  thou  not  signed  an  interdict,  that  every  man  that 
shall  make  petition  unto  any  god  or  man  within  thirty  days, 
save  unto  thee,  O  king,  shall  be  cast  into  the  den  of  lions? 
The  king  answered  and  said,  The  thing  is  true,  according  to 

13  the  law  of  the  Medes  and  Persians,  which  altereth  not.    Then 
°  answered  they  and  said  before  the  king,  That  Daniel,  which 

is  of  the  children  of  the  captivity  of  Judah,  regardeth  not 
thee,  O  king,  nor  the  interdict  that  thou  hast  signed,  but 

14  mak'eth  his  petition  three  times  a  day.  Then  the  king,  when 
he  heard  these  words,  was  sore  displeased,  and  set  his  heart 
on  Daniel  to  deliver  him  :  and  he  labored  till  the  going 

15  down  of  the  sun  to  rescue  him.  Then  these  men  assem- 
bled together  unto  the  king,  and  said  unto  the  king.  Know, 
O  king,  that  it  is  a  law  of  the  Medes  and  Persians,  that  no 
interdict  nor  statute  which  the   king  establisheth    may  be 

16  changed.  Then  the  king  commanded,  and  they  brought 
Daniel,  and  cast  him  into  the  den  of  lions.  Now  the  king 
spake  and  said  unto  Daniel,  Thy  God  whom  thou  servest 

1  7  continually,  he  will  deliver  thee.  And  a  stone  was  brought, 
and  laid  upon  the  mouth  of  the  den  ;  and  the  king  sealed  it 
with  his  own  signet,  and  with  the  signet  of  his  lords  :  that 

18  nothing  might  be  changed  concerning  Daniel.  Then  the 
king  went  to  his  palace,  and  passed  the  night  fasting  :  neither 
were   instruments   of    music   brought   before   him  :  and   his 

19  sleep  fled  from  him.     Then  the  king  arose  very  early  in  the 

20  morning,  and  went  in  haste  unto  the  den  of  lions.  And 
when  he  came  near  unto  the  den  to  Daniel,  he  cried  with  a 
lamentable  voice  :  the  king  spake  and  said  to  Daniel,  O 
Daniel,  servant  of  the  living  God.  is  thy  God,  whom   thou 

2 1  servest  continually,  able  to  deliver  thee  from  the  lions  ?   Then 

22  said  Daniel  unto  the  king,  O  king,  live  for  ever.  My  God 
hath  sent  his  angel,  and  hath  shut  the  lions'  mouths,  and 
they  have  not  hurt  me  :   forasmuch  as  before  him  innocency 


94 


THE  Hook  OF  DAMl-.l. 


was  found  in  me  ;  and  also  before  thee,  O  king,  have  I  done 

23  no  hurt.  Then  was  the  king  exceeding  glad,  and  com- 
manded that  they  should  take  Daniel  up  out  of  the  den. 
So  I  )aniel  was  taken  up  out  of  the  den,  and  no  manner  of 
hurt  was  found  upon  him,  because  he  had  trusted  in  his 

24  God.  And  the  king  commanded,  and  they  brought  those 
men  which  had  accused  Daniel,  and  they  cast  them  into  the 
den  of  lions,  them,  their  children,  and  their  wives  ;  and  the 
lions  had  the  mastery  of  them,  and  brake  all  their  bones  in 
pieces,  or  ever  they  came  at  the  bottom  of  the  den. 

25  Then  king  Darius  wrote  unto  all  the  peoples,  nations,  and 
languages,  that  dwell  in  all  the  earth  ;  Peace  be  multiplied 

26  unto  you.  I  make  a  decree,  that  in  all  the  dominion  of  my 
kingdom  men  tremble  and  fear  before  the  God  of  Daniel : 
for  he  is  the  living  God,  and  stedfast  for  ever,  and  his  king- 
dom  that  which   shall   not  be  destroyed,  and  his  dominion 

27  shall  be  even  unto  the  end  :  he  delivereth  and  rescueth,  and 
he  worketh  signs  and  wonders  in  heaven  and  in  earth  ;  who 

28  hath  delivered  Daniel  from  the  power  of  the  lions.  So  this 
Daniel  prospered  in  the  reign  of  Darius,  and  in  the  reign  of 
Cyrus  the  Persian. 


REFERENCES. 
\  erses.  Numbers. 

1-4 P.  1'. 

I  to  end A.  C.  1326 

5-IO P.  P. 

8-10 A.  E.  1029 

8  to  end A.  R.  717;    T.  C.  R.  292,  754 

II-18 P.P. 

11.  14 A.  C.  2788 

19-24 P.  P. 

25 P-  P- 

26-29 ''■''• 

Chapter  cited A.  C.  10412 


DANIEL  IX  THE  LIONS'  DEN  95 

COMMENTARY. 

DANIEL     IN    THE    LIONS'    DEN. 

In  a  former  part  of  these  commentaries,  I  have  re- 
ferred to  the  statement  contained  in  the  last  verse  of 
chapter  v.  (31)  of  the  book  of  Daniel,  which  seems  prop- 
erly to  belong  to  the  beginning  of  the  sixth  chapter,  as 
presenting  some  difficulty,  when  taken  in  connection 
with  the  history  of  Media  and  Babylonia.  "  And  Darius, 
the  Median,  took  the  kingdom,  being  about  three  score 
and  two  years  old."  Now  Cyrus  was  the  conqueror  of 
Babylon,  and  must  have  ruled  over  it  in  person  or  by  a 
viceregent,  as  Babylonia  had  been  ruled  long  before. 
I  adopted  the  supposition  that  this  Darius  was  some 
Median  king  or  prince  to  whom  the  viceroyalty  of  Baby- 
lon was  committed.  The  difficulty  with  several  com- 
mentators has  been  to  identify  "  Darius  the  Median," 
mentioned  here,  with  any  known  character  of  history. 
The  best  supposition,  it  seems  to  me,  is  that  supported 
by  Mr.  Westcott,  that  Darius  was  the  personal  name  of 
Astyages,  the  last  King  of  the  Medes,  who  was  the  son 
of  Cyaxares,  the  conqueror  of  Ninevah,  the  first  Ahas- 
uerus  of  Old-Testament  history.  In  Daniel  ix.  1 , 
Ahasuerus  is  said  to  be  the  father  of  Darius,  the  Mede. 
Cyrus  was  the  grandson  of  Astyages  by  his  daughter 
Mandane.  According  to  the  old  legends,  Astyages  in- 
tended to  put  Cyrus  to  death  secretly,  but  his  life  was 
preserved  by  the  man  who  was  expected  to  end  it,  and 
subsequently  he  was  brought  back  to  the  king's  palace, 
and  was   educated    there,  in    Kcbatana,  the   capital   city 


96 


THE  B<  II  »K  l  IF  DANIEL 


of  Media.  This  was  the  youth  who  afterwards  became 
the  founder  of  the  Persian  Empire  and  a  great  warrior. 
Singularly  enough,  Astyages  himself  became  subject  to 
Cyrus,  the  latter  having  joined  in  a  revolt  of  a  party  of 
the  Medes  against  him  and  taken  him  prisoner.  It  is 
now  understood  by  those  who  adopt  the  above  supposi- 
tion that  Cyrus  set  his  grandfather  upon  the  throne  of 
Babylon.  This  is  not  at  all  difficult  of  belief.  Whoever 
this  Darius  the  Median  may  have  been,  however,  he  did 
not  rule  long  in  Babylon.  He  must  not  be  confounded 
with  Darius  Hystaspes,  the  Persian  monarch  of  a  later 
day,  who  sent  great  expeditions  against  the  States  of 
Asia  Minor  and  Greece. 

While  it  is  not  necessary  to  dwell  at  much  length 
upon  the  history  of  those  times  in  studying- the  spiritual 
meaning  of  this  book,  yet  it  seems  useful  to  present  a 
few  facts  to  relieve  the  mind  of  apparent  difficulties.  We 
may  be  sure  that  "  Darius  the  Median  "  was  a  real  person- 
age and  that  he  represents  some  principle  that  rules  in 
the  mind  when  the  church  is  consummated.  The  literal 
statements  must  not  hold  our  attention  too  strongly  if 
we  would  learn  the  spiritual  ideas  that  are  involved  in 
them. 

Let  us  turn  to  the  narrative  and  consider  the  things 
that  are  recorded  in  this  chapter.  In  the  first  three 
verses,  as  they  are  now  placed  in  our  Bibles,  we  read: 

It  pleased  Darius  to  set  over  the  kingdom  one  hundred  and 
twenty  princes  which  should  he  over  the  whole  kingdom  ;  and 
over  these,  three  presidents,  of  whom  Daniel  was  first,  that  the 
princes  might  give  accounts  unto  them  and  the  king  should 
have  no  damage.     Then   this    Daniel  was   preferred   above   the 


DANIEL  IN  THE  LIONS    DEN  07 

presidents  and  princes,  because  an  excellent  spirit  was  in  him  ; 
and  the  king  thought  to  set  him  over  the  whole  realm. 

In    the   Revised   Version   some  slight  changes  have 
been  made.      The  princes  are  called  "satraps,"  a  name 
applied   to   governors   of  provinces,  who   had   great  au- 
thority, but  in  all  very  important  matters  were  wholly 
subject   to  the  royal  will  and  pleasure.      Then  they  are 
said   to  be   "throughout"   the  whole   kingdom,  and  not 
"over"   it.      Again  we  read   that   Daniel  was  "one"  of 
the  presidents  and  not  the   "first."      Now  this  arrange- 
ment or  order  of  things  under  Darius,  while  it  seems  to 
relate  only  to  civil  affairs,  represents  the  establishment 
of  a  government  in   spiritual  affairs,  or  in  the  church, 
with  a  view  to  secure  the  obedience  of  human  beings 
to  the  will  of  another,  who  is  vested  with  absolute  power, 
or  to  those  under  him,  in   order  that   he  and  they  may 
receive  adoration.      It  is   the  elevation  of  man   to  the 
throne  of   God.      The  worship  of  kings   and   emperors, 
which  seems  an  incredible  thing  at   this  day,  is  not  an 
unknown    thing   in    history.      Not    a  few  have   fancied 
themselves  gods.     Caesar  was  proclaimed  to  be  one,  and 
when  men   refused   to  pay  him  Divine  homage,  the  cry 
was  heard,  "  To  the  lions."      There  seems,  however,  to 
be  a  difference  between  Darius  and  Caesar.    The  former 
does  not  appear  to  have  sought  power  or  adoration.      It 
was  the  presidents  and  satraps  who  sought  occasion  to 
accuse  Daniel,  although  there  was  no  fault  in   him,  and 
to  accomplish  his  destruction  they  prevailed  upon  Darius 
to   sign   the  unalterable  decree  that  no  petition  should 
be  made  to  any  god  or  man  for  thirty  days,  save  to  the 
king,  and  that  whosoever  did  so  should  be  cast  into  the 


98 


I  III     HnoK  <>!•    DANIEL 


den  of  lions.  There  is  a  striking  analogy  here  to  the 
conduct  of  the  high-priests  who  sought  occasion  to  ac- 
cuse the  Lord  of  seeking  to  overthrow  the  Roman  gov- 
ernment, and  in  Pilate  we  find  a  very  striking  resem- 
blance to  Darius.  Indeed,  in  interpreting  this  portion 
of  the  hook  of  Daniel,  we  should  regard  Darius  as  a  rep- 
resentative of  the  civil  power  rather  than  of  the  spir- 
itual, of  the  natural  love  of  dominion  as  manifested  in 
civil  affairs,  and  the  satraps  and  presidents  as  represent- 
ing the  priesthood  who  endeavor  to  gain  power  for  them- 
selves and  who  seek  to  obtain  a  decree  or  law  which 
shall  prevent  the  worship  of  the  true  God.  Daniel,  on 
the  other  hand,  represents  all  those  who  acknowledge 
the  Divine  Truth  and  worship  the  Lord  alone,  and  in 
the  highest  sense  he  represents  the  Lord  who  is  the 
Divine  Truth.  The  hatred  and  opposition  of  the  high- 
priests  and  rulers  in  the  Jewish  Church  to  the  Lord,  and 
their  desire  to  destroy  Him,  denotes  the  hatred  of  all 
who  are  in  self-love  and  the  evils  which  spring  from  it, 
towards  the  Divine  Truth  itself.  The  same  natural 
feeling  of  pity  which  Pilate  seems  to  have  had  for  the 
Lord,  making  him  unwilling  to  crucify  him,  seems  to 
have  influenced  Darius.  lie  placed  Daniel  in  a  high 
position,  and  "thought  to  set  him  over  the  whole  realm." 
These  rulers  hated  Daniel  on  this  account.  When  they 
told  the  king  of  Daniel's  praying  t<>  his  God,  "he  was 
sore  displeased  and  set  his  heart  on  Daniel  to  deliver 
him  ;  and  he  labored  until  the  going  down  of  the  sun 
to  rescue  him."  But  he  could  not  reverse  his  own  de- 
cree. When  at  last  he  allowed  Daniel  to  he  cast  into 
the   lions'    den,  he    said    unto    Daniel,  "Thy   God  whom 


DANIEL  IN  THE  LIONS'  DEN  QQ 

thou  servest  continually,  He  will  deliver  thee,"  as  if  he 
believed  in  the  power  of  God.  To  this  may  be  added 
that  he  fasted  all  night  and  had  no  sleep  after  he  had 
consented  to  the  wicked  deed.  It  is  not  an  uncommon 
thing  for  men  to  act  in  this  way.  They  are  persuaded  to 
do  wrong  against  their  better  feelings  and  convictions, 
by  designing  men  who  flatter  their  pride  and  love  of 
being  exalted  to  power,  and  make  them  believe  that  hu- 
man decrees  are  higher  than  the  Divine  Truth  itself. 
The  whole  teaching  of  this  chapter  in  its  spiritual  mean- 
ing points  directly  to  the  Roman  Catholic  Church,  at  the 
period  of  the  Inquisition,  when  the  Pope  and  his  min- 
ions gained  control  over  the  civil  power,  and  used  it  as 
a  means  to  accomplish  their  own  diabolical  purposes. 

Swedenborg  plainly  refers  to  the  Inquisition  as  fore- 
told in  this  chapter.  "  The  punishment  of  the  Inquisi- 
tion," he  says,  "is  the  den  of  lions  into  which  Daniel 
was  cast."  (See  Summary  Exposition  of  the  Internal 
Sense  of  the  Propliccics  and  Psalms)  The  den  of 
lions  was  not  a  natural  den  of  wild  beasts,  but  an  arti- 
ficial one  in  the  king's  forests  where  the  beasts  were 
kept  to  be  hunted.  It  seems  a  horrible  and  cruel  death 
to  inflict  upon  human  beings,  to  cast  them  to  the  lions 
to  be  devoured.  This  death  was  suffered  by  the  Chris- 
tians at  Rome.  Even  more  horrible  were  the  punish- 
ments of  the  Inquisition  in  the  fifteenth  and  sixteenth 
centuries,  which  are  matters  of  history  well  known  and 
authenticated.  Death  by  the  slow  torture  of  the  rack 
and  the  burning  fagots  was  even  more  to  be  dreaded 
than  the  destruction  by  beasts. 

All  this  evil  passion  and  hatred  springs  from   the  in- 


IOO  I  HE  i:<  (OK  OF  DANIEL 

fernal  love  of  ruling  over  others.  What  a  poor  satisfac- 
tion it  seems  to  us,  in  tin's  age,  to  exact  from  our  fellow- 
men  a  confession  of  our  belief  or  to  compel  them  to 
worship  as  we  do!  What  a  change  has  taken  place  in 
the  Christian  world  !  Although  there  may  be  men, 
even  at  this  day,  who  entertain  intense  hatred  against 
those  who  differ  from  them  in  their  religious  faith  and 
form  of  worship,  yet  the  civil  power  can  no  longer  be 
used  to  gratify  this  hatred.  The  Inquisition  is  no  longer 
possible. 

The  fact  that  Daniel  escaped  unhurt  may  be  regarded 
as  miraculous,  but  it  is  not  difficult  to  see  that  the  spir- 
itual sphere  of  a  human  being,  strong  in  his  own  faith, 
and  guarded  and  protected  by  angels,  would  be  felt  by 
the  beasts,  who  would  cpiail  under  its  influence.  Daniel 
said  :  "  My  God  hath  sent  his  angel,  and  hath  shut  the 
lions'  mouths,  and  they  have  not  hurt  me  ;  forasmuch 
as  before  Him  innocency  was  found  in  me  ;  and  also, 
before  thee,  O  king,  I  have  done  no  hurt." 

The  sequel  proves  the  law  of  spiritual  life  that  the 
evil  which  men  would  do  to  others  returns  upon  them- 
selves. The  king  commanded  Daniel's  enemies  to  be 
cast  into  the  den  of  lions,  and  not  only  them  but  their 
wive*  and  children  ;  "and  the  lions  had  the  mastery  of 
them,  and  break  all  their  bones  in  pieces,  or  ever  they 
came  at  the  bottom  of   the  den." 

The  conduct  of  Darius  in  issuing  the  final  decree  that 
all  men  in  his  kingdom  should  tremble  and  fear  before 
the  God  of  Daniel,  bears  some  resemblance  to  that  of 
the  civil  rulers  in  the  time  of  the  Reformation  who  no 
longer  favored  the  Church  of  Rome.    This  command  can 


DANIEL  IX  THE  LIONS'   DEN  lOi 

hardly  be  regarded  as  the  expression  of  true  spiritual 
worship,  which  springs  from  love  and  not  from  fear  or 
compulsion. 

Passing  from  the  historical  spiritual  sense  to  a  still 
higher  meaning,  let  us  consider  this  history  somewhat 
with  reference  to  the  Lord's  life.  I  have  already  pointed 
out  the  representation  which  Daniel  holds  throughout 
the  whole  narrative,  how  like  he  was  to  Joseph,  who 
was  held  captive  in  a  strange  land,  and  yet  became  the 
saviour  of  his  people  by  the  power  which  God  gave  him 
to  interpret  dreams  and  to  show  forth  his  wisdom.  His 
enemies  were  compelled  to  acknowledge  this  power  even 
against  themselves.  From  all  that  is  written  about 
Daniel,  it  is  not  difficult  to  see  that  he  represents  the 
Lord,  and  that  all  the  sufferings  he  endured  are  typical 
of  the  temptations  endured  by  the  Saviour  for  the  sake 
of  redeeming  man  from  the  evil  power.  When  the  Lord 
was  in  the  wilderness,  it  is  said  He  was  with  the  beasts. 
These  beasts  were  the  evil  spirits  of  hell  that  sought 
His  destruction.  In  the  fifty-seventh  psalm  we  read  : 
"  My  soul  is  among  lions  :  and  I  lie  even  among  them 
that  are  set  on  fire,  even  the  sons  of  men  whose  teeth 
are  spears  and  arrows  and  their  tongue  a  sharp  sword." 
(Ver.  4.)  These  words  signify  spiritual  temptations. 
Man's  soul  is  among  lions  when  he  is  tempted  by  evil 
spirits  to  deny  the  Lord  and  to  disobey  His  command- 
ments. Lions  are  destructive  beasts.  They  are  strong 
and  powerful.  In  the  language  of  the  Word  they  some- 
times denote  the  destructive  power  of  falsity  derived 
from  evil,  and  sometimes  the  saving  and  redeeming 
power  of  truth  derived  from  love.      The  psalmist,  speak- 


102  I  HE  BOOK  OF  DANIEL 

ing  of  his  spiritual  enemies,  says  :  "They  gaped  upon  me 
with  their  mouths  as  a  ravening  and  a  roaring  lion."  (xxii. 
13.)  Hut  the  Lord  Himself  is  called  the  "Lion  of  the 
tribe  of  Judah,"  by  which  is  signified  the  omnipotence  of 
the  Divine  Truth  proceeding  from  the  Divine  Love.  The 
Lord  made  the  truth  powerful  in  Himself  to  overcome  all 
evil.  Before  this  work  was  accomplished,  however,  He 
was  tempted  by  evil  spirits  ;  His  "soul  was  among  lions." 
and  unless  He  had  been  sustained  by  the  power  of  In- 
finite Divine  Love,  hell  would  have  gained  the  victory. 
Like  Daniel  He  prayed  not  to  any  human  power,  but  to 
the  Divine  power  within  Him.  In  the  garden  of  Geth- 
semane  He  fell  on  His  face  and  prayed  three  times, 
saying  the  same  words  :  "  O  my  Father,  if  this  cup  may 
not  pass  from  me  except  I  drink  it,  Thy  will  be  done." 
(Matt.  xxvi.  39-44.)  Daniel  seems  to  have  had  the 
words  of  the  fifty-fifth  psalm  in  his  mind  when  he  prayed 
three  times  a  day  from  his  windows  with  his  face  tow- 
ards Jerusalem  :  "  Evening,  and  morning,  and  at  noon, 
will  I  pray,  and  cry  aloud  ;  and  He  shall  hear  my  voice." 
(Ver.  17.) 

When  we  speak  of  the  lions'  den  as  denoting  hell, 
and  the  beasts  as  denoting  the  evil  spirits  ot  hell,  we 
must  think  of  a  state  of  mind  when  man  is  assailed 
by  those  who  would  destroy  his  trust  in  the  power  of 
the  Lord.  The  Lord's  perfect  innocence  is  simply  rep- 
resented by  the  innocence  of  Daniel,  which  must  have 
been  imperfect  compared  with  the  Divine  Innocence 
itself.  In  the  law  of  representation  the  spiritual  quality 
of  the  one  who  represents  is  not  to  be  reflected  upon. 
We  see  the   Divine  only  in  faint  images  in  the  lives  of 


DAMKL  1\   THE  LIONS'  DEN 


IO- 


those   who   exhibit   heavenly   virtue   and    angelic    good- 
ness. 

Let  us  now  briefly  consider  this  narrative  in  relation 
to  man's  regeneration.  Daniel  not  only  represents  the 
Lord  as  Divine  Truth,  he  also  represents  the  truth  as 
it  is  received  by  man,  or  the  spiritual  principle  seen 
with  reference  to  his  spiritual  life.  Darius,  on  the  other 
hand,  as  the  king  or  ruler  in  Babylon,  represents-  the 
truth  seen  with  reference  to  natural  life,  and  as  it  may 
be  made  conducive  to  our  natural  welfare.  Natural 
truth  should  be  held  subordinate  to  spiritual  and  Divine 
Truth  ;  if  not,  man  perverts  and  profanes  holy  things 
and  is  subject  to  Babylon.  When  man's  affections  are 
turned  to  evil  and  he  is  under  the  influence  of  self-love, 
he  wishes  to  make  all  things  subservient  to  himself. 
He  thus  sets  himself  against  the  Lord  and  is  filled  with 
hatred  and  enmity  towards  his  neighbor.  The  truth 
loses  its  influence  over  his  mind  and  he  falls  a  prey  to 
the  influence  of  evil  spirits.  His  spiritual  life  is  in 
danger  of  destruction,  because  for  a  time  he  loses  his 
freedom  and  rationality.  But  if  there  be  remains  of 
good  in  him  and  a  remaining  faith  in  the  Lord,  he  will 
become  conscious  of  the  evil  within  him  and  around 
him,  and  will  pray  to  the  Lord  for  deliverance.  He  will 
set  his  face  towards  Jerusalem  and  pray  at  evening, 
morning,  and  at  noon.  The  effect  of  spiritual  tempta- 
tion is  to  induce  a  fear  of  punishment  and  the  loss  of 
life.  But  the  Lord  is  very  near  to  man  in  temptation 
and  is  ever  ready  to  save  him,  and  if  he  constantly 
turns  to  the  Lord  for  help,  He  will  send  His  angel  and 
shut  the  lions'  mouths. 


104 


THE  BOOK  OF  DANIEL 


"  No  manner  of  hurl  was  found  upon  Daniel  because 
he  believed  in  his  God."  There  is  power  in  faith  de- 
rived from  love  and  united  with  it.  And  it  is  wonder- 
ful what  an  effect  this  power  and  the  example  of  a  good 
l'fe  have  upon  those  who  are  in  natural  states  of  thought 
and  have  not  yet  acknowledged  any  spiritual  law.  This 
is  shown  in  the  speech  and  actions  of  Darius.  The 
world  is  moved  out  of  its  indifference  and  unbelief  by 
the  results  of  good  living  and  successful  resistance  to 
evil.  And  the  natural  man,  looking  to  his  own  security 
and  protection,  may  be  willing  to  have  the  whole  world 
acknowledge  and  worship  the  God  of  Daniel,  when  he- 
sees  that  faith  in  Him  gives  men  such  power  to  over- 
come danger  and  evil,  when  it  makes  them  masters  over 
themselves  and  guides  and  teachers  to  others. 


THE  VISION  OF  THE  FOUR  BEASTS  105 


CHAPTER   VII. 

In  the  first  year  of  Belshazzar  king  of  Babylon  Daniel  had 
a  dream  and  visions  of  his  head  upon  his  bed  :  then  he  wrote 

2  the  dream  and  told  the  sum  of  the  matters.  Daniel  spake 
and  said,  I  saw  in  my  vision  by  night,  and,  behold,  the  four 

3  winds  of  the  heaven  brake  forth  upon  the  great  sea.  And 
four  great  beasts  came  up  from  the  sea,  diverse  one  from 

4  another.  The  first  was  like  a  lion,  and  had  eagle's  wings  : 
I  beheld  till  the  wings  thereof  were  plucked,  and  it  was 
lifted  up  from  the  earth,  and  made  to  stand  upon  two  feet 

5  as  a  man,  and  a  man's  heart  was  given  to  it.  And  behold 
another  beast,  a  second,  like  to  a  bear,  and  it  was  raised  up 
on  one  side,  and  three  ribs  were  in  his  mouth  between  his 
teeth  :  and  they  said  thus  unto  it,  Arise,  devour  much  flesh. 

6  After  this  I  beheld,  and  lo  another,  like  a  leopard,  which 
had  upon  the  back  of  it  four  wings  of  a  fowl  ;  the  beast  had 

7  also  four  heads  ;  and  dominion  was  given  to  it.  After  this 
I  saw  in  the  night  visions,  and  behold  a  fourth  beast,  terrible 
and  powerful,  and  strong  exceedingly  ;  and  it  had  great  iron 
teeth  :  it  devoured  and  brake  in  pieces,  and  stamped  the 
residue  with  his  feet :  and  it  was  diverse  from  all  the  beasts 

8  that  were  before  it ;  and  it  had  ten  horns.  I  considered 
the  horns,  and,  behold,  there  came  up  among  them  another 
horn,  a  little  one,  before  which  three  of  the  first  horns  were 
plucked  up  by  the  roots  :  and,  behold,  in  this  horn  were 
eyes  like  the  eyes  of  a  man,  and  a   mouth  speaking  great 

9  things.  I  beheld  till  thrones  were  placed,  and  one  that  was 
ancient  of  days  did  sit :  his  raiment  was  white  as  snow,  and 
the  hair  of  his  head  like  pure  wool ;  his  throne  was  fiery 

10  flames,  and  the  wheels  thereof  burning  fire.  A  fiery  stream 
issued  and  came  forth  from  before  him  :  thousand  thousands 
ministered  unto  him,  and  ten  thousand  times  ten  thousand 


106  THE  Bl  i«  IK  I  >F  DA  Ml  I 

stood  before  him  :  the  judgement  was  set,  and  the  books 

i  i  were  opened.     I  beheld  at  that  time  because  of  the  voice 

of  the  gre at  words  which  the  horn  spake  ;   I  beheld  even  till 

the  beast  was   slain,  and   his  body  destroyed,  and   he  was 

12  given  to  be  burned  with  fire.  And  as  for  the  rest  of  the 
beasts,  their  dominion  was  taken  away  :  yet  their  lives  were 

13  prolonged  for  a  season  and  a  time.  I  saw  in  the  night  vis- 
ions, and.  behold,  there  came  with  the  clouds  of  heaven  one 
like  unto  a  son  of  man,  and  he  came  even  to  the  ancient  of 

14  days,  and  they  brought  him  near  before  him.  And  there 
was  given  him  dominion,  and  glory,  and  a  kingdom,  that 
all  the  peoples,  nations,  and  languages  should  serve  him  : 
his  dominion  is  an  everlasting  dominion,  which  shall  not 
pass  away,  and  his  kingdom  that  which  shall  not  be  de- 
stroyed. 

15  As  for  me  Daniel,  my  spirit  was  grieved  in  the  midst  of 

16  my  body,  and  the  visions  of  my  head  troubled  me.  I  came 
near  unto  one  of  them  that  stood  by,  and  asked  him  the 
truth   concerning  all   this.     So   he  told  me,  and  made  me 

1 7  know  the  interpretation  of  the  things.  These  great  beasts, 
which  are  four,  are  four  kings,  which  shall  arise  out   of  the 

18  earth.  But  the  saints  of  the  Most  High  shall  receive  the 
kingdom,  and  possess  the  kingdom  for  ever,  even  for  ever 

19  and  ever.  Then  I  desired  to  know  the  truth  concerning 
the  fourth  beast,  which  was  diverse  from  all  of  them,  ex- 
ceeding terrible,  whose  teeth  were  of  iron,  and  his  nails  of 
brass  ;  which  devoured,  brake  in  pieces,  and  stamped  the 

20  residue  with  his  feet  ;  and  concerning  the  ten  horns  that 
were  on  his  head,  and  the  other  horn  which  came  up,  and 
before  which  three  fell ;  even  that  horn  that  had  eyes,  and 
a  mouth  that  spake  great  things,  whose  look  was  more  stout 

21  than  his  fellows.     I  beheld,  and  the  same  horn  made  war 

22  with  the  saints,  and  prevailed   against  them;    until  the  an- 


THE  VISION  OF  THK  Fol'R   BEASTS 


107 


cient  of  days  came,  and  judgement  was  given  to  the  saints 
of  the  Most  High  ;  and  the  time  came  that  the  saints  pos- 

23  sessed  the  kingdom.  Thus  he  said,  The  fourth  beast  shall 
be  a  fourth  kingdom  upon  earth,  which  shall  be  diverse  from 
all  the  kingdoms,  and  shall  devour  the  whole  earth,  and  shall 

24  tread  it  down,  and  break  it  in  pieces.  And  as  for  the  ten 
horns,  out  of  this  kingdom  shall  ten  kings  arise  ;  and  an- 
other shall  arise  after  them  ;  and  he  shall  be  diverse  from 

25  the  former,  and  he  shall  put  down  three  kings.  And  he 
shall  speak  words  against  the  Most  High,  and  shall  wear  out 
the  saints  of  the  Most  High  :  and  he  shall  think  to  change 
the   times   and   the  law  ;  and  they  shall  be  given  into  his 

26  hand  until  a  time  and  times  and  half  a  time.  But  the 
judgement  shall  sit,  and  they  shall  take  away  his  dominion, 

27  to  consume  and  to  destroy  it  unto  the  end.  And  the  king- 
dom and  the  dominion,  and  the  greatness  of  the  kingdoms 
under  the  whole  heaven,  shall  be  given  to  the  people  of  the 
saints    of  the  Most  High  :     his  kingdom  is  an   everlasting 

28  kingdom,  and  all  dominions  shall  serve  and  obey  him.  Here 
is  the  end  of  the  matter.  As  for  me  Daniel,  my  thoughts 
much  troubled  me,  and  my  countenance  was  changed  in 
me  :  but  I  kept  the  matter  in  my  heart. 


REFERENCES. 

Verses.  Numbers. 

I  and  following D.  P.  134 

1 C.  L.  26 

1-3 P.  P. 

1-14 T.C.R.  754 

1  and  following    .        .        .  D.  Lord  52;   A.  R.  36,  945;  T.  C.  R.  157,  851 

1-14  and  following A.  R  717 

1  to  end         , A.  C.  1326;    Diet.  P.  12 


108  THE   Bl  IOK  <  IF  DANIEL 

1,2,7,13     .       .      D.  Lord  52;    D.  P.  134;  A.  R.  36,  945;  T.  C.  R.  157 

2,3 V.  E.418 

2-7 A.  E.  650 

2j  3,  and  following A.  R.  343 

2,  7 A.  C.  6000 

3     •  T.  C  K.  788 

3-  4 A.  C.  3901 

3-7 A.  R.  567,  574;   A.  E.  1029 

3-9,  13,  14  and  following Coronis  3 

3,  7,  8,  20,  21-24 \.  K.  270 

3,  7,  8,  20,  21,  23-25 \.  E.  316 

4 A.  E.  1029,  P.  I'. 

5 A.  R.  573;   C.  L.  193;   A.  E.  722,  781;    P.P. 

5-7 V .  E.  556 

6 A.  R.  572;    A.  E.  780;    P.  1'. 

7 A.  R.  101,435;    ''•  '" 

7,  8,  11,  19-25 A.  C.  2832 

7.  '9 A.  R.  49 

7,  20,  24 D.  Life  61 ;    A.  E.  675 

7-  23 T.  C.  R.  761 

8 A.  C.  10182 

9  A.  C.  3301,  8215,  8459,  9470;    I).  S.  S.  49;   A.  R.47,  166,  694;  T.  C.  R. 

223;   A.  E.  67,  195,  253,  988;    Diary  2;   App.  10 
9.  10    A.  C.  934,  53L3,  6832;   A.  R.  229,  287;    A.  E.  199,  336,  504;    P.  P. 

10  .        .        .  A.  C.  8620;   A.  R.  256 

11 A.  R.  748;    P.  P, 

11,  12,  21.  24 A.  C.  10182 

12 P.  P. 

13  A.  C.  1990,  9S07;    I).  Lord  26;    A.  R.  24;    T.  C.  R.  776;    A.  E.  36,  63, 

594 
13,  14  A.  C.  49,  1607,  6752;   A.  R.  291,478,839;   C.  L.  81;   T.  C.  R.  113, 

416,  625,  788,  851;    A.  E.  175:    P.P. 

13-18,27 V.  R.  913 

13,  14,  22,  27 Diet.  P.  12 

13,  14,  27 I).  Lord  6,  42;    A.  R.  664;    A.  E.  1029 

14  A.  (.4001;    1).  Lord  10;    1).  S.  S.  86;    A.  R.  483,  523,   749;   T.  < '.    R. 

251,  262,  288,  791;    A.  E.  331,  455,  468,  685:    Ath.  Cd.  19 

14,  18,  27     .        .        .        .        ; A.  C.  10248 

15 * D.  Lord  48 


THE  VISION  OF  THE  FOUR  BEASTS  109 

P.  P 
'5'16 .       .         P.P. 

i7\i8  ■      •      ■':::::.  a.c.2547 

,7toend .       .         A.R.720 

£2:  ::::::::..•   a.r.749 

r2^     :  :    a5 

18,  22,  27 k     n       a 

'  .       .         A.  R.  2S4 

Ib'  27 ...    A.  E.  70 

19 ...  P.P. 

T21  '■''.'.'.'"••••     A-R-586 

21  " D.  Lord  4;    P.  P. 

.    A.  C.  1066;   A.  E.  697 

23 P.  P. 

2]'J4    '  .....-■        A.  E.  1029 

2j_25  '  ....    A.  C.  10182;  A.  E.  1034 

A.  R.  476,  799;  A.  E.  610;  P.  P. 

25  ...    P.  P- 

'  .   .   A.  C.  7051;  A.R.749;  A.  E.  685 

27    "  P.  P. 

Chapter' cited     A.  C    10455;    «.  &  H.   171;   A.  R.  748;    T.  C.  R.  760; 

Diary  2;   App.  5 


,  IO  I  HI    BOOK  OF   DANIE1 


COMMENTARY. 
daniel's  vision  of  the  four  beasts  and  the 

ANCIENT    OF    DAYS. 

In  the  first  year  of  Belshazzar,  King  of  Babylon,  Daniel  had 
a  dream  and  visions  of  his  head  upon  his  bed  :  then  he  wrote 
the  dream  and  told  the  sum  of  the  matters.     (Ver.  i.) 

In  this  initial  verse,  we  have  the  prelude  to  what 
follows  —  a  general  statement  in  regard  to  a  new  rex-e- 
lation to  Daniel,  by  a  dream  and  vision. 

As  to  the  chronology  of  this  chapter,  the  time  when 
Daniel  had  this  dream  and  vision,  it  is  plain  that  the 
events  narrated  antedate  the  events  related  in  chapter 
five.  Some  years  elapsed  between  the  death  of  Nebu- 
chadnezzar and  the  first  year  of   Belshazzar's  reign. 

The  chronology  of  this  book  is  not,  however,  of  much 
importance  to  us.  We  have  already  stated  the  doctrine 
that  the  Word  of  the  Lord  was  written  solely  for  the 
sake  of  the  spiritual  sense  and  not  for  the  purpose  of 
recording  natural  events  in  a  series.  The  succession  is 
constantly  broken.  This  may  be  seen  even  in  the  Gos- 
pel narratives.  But  the  spiritual  sense  forms  a  con- 
nected unbroken  chain.  The  arrangement  of  the  differ- 
ent books  of  the  Bible  into  chapters  and  verses  is  a 
modern  thing,  and  it  is  possible  that  portions  of  differ- 
ent books  have  been  chronologically  misplaced.  Hut 
we  are  chiefly  concerned  to  find  out  the  spiritual  mean- 
ing. In  the  bonk  of  Daniel,  as  we  have  seen,  there  are 
three  principal  subject.-,  treated  of,  namely,  the  vastation 
or  consummation  of  the  church,  the  judgment  upon   it, 


THE  VISION  OF  THE  FOUR  BEASTS  \  \  j 

and  the  Lord's  coming  to  effect  this  judgment  and  to 
establish  a  New  Church. 

What  has  been  recorded  in  the  previous  chapters  de- 
picts the  spiritual  state  of  the  church  when  the  love  of 
dominion  prevails  and  man  usurps  the  power  of  God. 
This  is  Babylon  the  Great.  The  church  is  then  con- 
summated. The  natural  rules  over  the  spiritual,  and 
the  holy  things  of  heaven  and  the  church  are  profaned. 
But  man  is  not  allowed  to  go  beyond  certain  limits. 
Evil  destroys  itself  as  Babylon  was  destroyed  by  an  ex- 
cess of  luxury  and  self-indulgence.  By  an  influx  of 
Divine  light  which  comes  like  a  mighty  wind  the  power 
of  evil  is  overthrown,  the  wicked  are  cast  down,  and  the 
Lord  is  manifested  as  the  "  mighty  God  "  the  "  Ever- 
lasting Father."      This  is  the  judgment. 

It  will  be  noticed  that  the  dream  of  Daniel  is  a  new 
thing.  He  had  been  an  interpreter  of  dreams  before, 
but  now  he  has  a  dream  himself.  In  his  dream  he  has 
the  wonderful  vision  of  the  "  four  beasts  ascending  out 
of  the  sea  "  and  "  the  Ancient  of  days."  Let  us  not 
mistake  the  nature  of  Daniel's  dream,  or  suppose  that 
it  has  not  a  Divine  meaning.  Swedenborg  clearly  ex- 
plains the  nature  of  dreams.      He  says  : 

As  to  what  relates  to  dreams  it  is  well  known  that  the  Lord 
revealed  the  secrets  of  heaven  to  the  prophets,  not  only  by 
visions  but  also  by  dreams,  and  that  dreams  were  equally 
representative  and  significative  as  visions,  and  that  they  were 
commonly  of  one  sort ;  and  further  that  things  to  come  were 
discovered  by  dreams  to  others  as  well  as  to  the  prophets  ;  as 
in  the  case  of  Joseph's  dreams,  and  of  the  dreams  of  those  who 
were  with  him  in  prison,  and  also  of  Pharaoh,  of  Nebuchad- 
nezzar, and  others.     It  may  hence  appear,  that  dreams  of  that 


I  i  2  THE  B<  IOK  I  >l-    DANIEL 

sort  come  by  influx  from  heaven  as  well  as  visions,  with  this 
difference,  that  the  dreams  come  when  the  corporeal  part  is 
asleep,  but  visions  when  it  is  not  asleep.  In  what  manner 
prophetical  dreams  and  such  as  are  recorded  in  the  Word  flow 
in,  yea,  descend  from  heaven,  has  been  shown  to  me  to  the 
life;  concerning  which  I  am  at  liberty  to  relate  the  following 
particulars. 

There  are  three  sorts  of  dreams.  The  first  sort  come  medi- 
ately through  heaven  from  the  Lord  ;  such  were  the  prophetical 
dreams  recorded  in  the  Word.  The  second  sort  come  by  angelic 
spirits,  particularly  by  those  who  are  in  front  above,  to  the  right, 
where  are  paradisiacal  scenes  ;  it  was  thence  that  the  men  of  the 
Most  Ancient  Church  had  their  dreams  which  were  instructive 
(n.  \i22).  The  third  sort  come  by  the  spirits  who  are  near 
when  man  is  asleep,  which  also  are  significative.  But  phantastic 
dreams  have  another  origin.      (A.  C.  1975,  1976.) 

He  describes  at  some  length  the  manner  in  which 
dreams  are  produced.  It  is  not  necessary  to  give  all 
the  particulars  here.  The  reader  is  referred  to  the 
work  entitled  "  Arcana  Ccelestia,"  in  the  numbers  fol- 
lowing those  just  quoted,  where  full  explanations  arc 
given.  It  is  evident  that  the  dream  of  Daniel  was  of 
the  first  sort  and  came  to  him  while  he  was  asleep.  He- 
was  upon  his  bed.  It  must  be  understood  that  with 
him  there  was  an  opening  of  his  spiritual  sight.  The 
things  which  he  describes  were  representations  seen  in 
the  spiritual  world.  They  typify  the  state  of  the  church 
at  its  end  and  the  coming  of  the  Lord  to  judgment. 
What  he  saw  he  recorded  and  it  became  a  part  of  Di- 
vine revelation,  which  remains  to  us  at  this  day. 

Let  us  turn  now  to  the  dream  and  the  description  of 
the  things  which  he  saw. 


THE  VISION  OF  THE  FOUR  BEASTS 


113 


Daniel  spake  and  said,  I  saw  in  my  vision  by  night,  and  be- 
hold the  four  winds  of  the  heaven  brake  forth  upon  the  great 
sea.     (Ver.  2.) 

Let  us  remember  we  are  now  considering  the  state 
of  the  church  at  its  end,  and  that  the  church  on  earth 
is  connected  with  the  spiritual  world  and  derives  its 
quality  from  those  who  are  associated  with  it  in  that 
world.  What  Daniel  described  in  such  wonderful  im- 
agery, actually  appeared  to  him  in  the  spiritual  world 
and  pictured  forth  the  states  of  evil  and  falsity,  from 
which  the  church  on  earth  derived  its  quality  when  the 
love  of  dominion  prevailed  and  all  manner  of  false  doc- 
trines filled  the  human  mind. 

The  four  winds  breaking  forth  upon  the  sea  represents 
the  influx  of  the  Divine  spirit.  The  blowing  of  the 
wind  is  mentioned  in  the  Word  as  an  outward  repre- 
sentation of  the  inflowing  of  the  spirit  of  truth.  The 
Spirit  of  Divine  truth  flows  down  through  all  the  heav- 
ens, even  to  those  who  are  in  hell,  but  it  is  received 
according  to  the  different  states  of  angels,  spirits,  and 
men,  and  when  it  reaches  those  who  are  in  states  of 
evil  it  is  resisted  and  turned  into  what  is  evil  and  false. 

Now  the  great  sea  or  deep  represents  hell,  or  the 
state  of  those  who  are  in  evil.  It  also  represents  the 
merely  natural  man  in  whose  memory  much  knowledge 
ma\'  be  stored  up,  but  whose  mind  is  not  receptive  of 
heavenly  influences.  The  mind  of  every  man  is  a 
heaven  or  a  hell  in  miniature.  What  can  come  out  of 
such  a  state  but  what  is  evil  ! 

Daniel  declares  : 

And  four  great  beasts  came  up  out  of  the  sea  diverse  one 
from  another.     (Ver.  3.) 


1 14 


I  III-:  i:<  (OK  (  >F  ]»\\ll  l 


These  four  beasts  represent  the  states  of  affection  of 
those  who  are  in  evil,  and  the  evils  themselves  which 
characterize  the  church  at  its  end.  A  similar  vision  is 
recorded  by  John  in  the  Book  of  Revelation,  who  says 
that  he  saw  two  beasts  rise  up  out  of  the  sea,  one  like 
unto  a  leopard  with  the  feet  of  a  bear  and  the  mouth  of 
a  lion,  and  the  other  who  had  two  horns  like  a  lamb  and 
spake  like  a  dragon.     (Chap,  xiii.) 

It  is  well  known  that  man  is  compared  in  the  Scrip- 
tures to  certain  beasts,  as  to  his  character  or  quality 
which  is  always  according  to  his  affection.  Harmless 
and  useful  beasts  typify  the  good  affections  in  man  — 
hurtful  and  useless  beasts  the  evil  affections. 

Now  these  four  beasts  rising  out  of  the  sea,  as  seen 
by  Daniel,  specially  represent  the  spiritual  states  of  the 
men  of  the  church  at  its  consummation  or  end,  which 
is  denoted  by  night. 

The  church  passes  through  successive  changes  or 
mutations.  The  first  state  is  an  intellectual  one,  in 
which  man  has  power  to  think  and  to  reason  about  the 
truths  of  the  church  and  to  soar  upward  in  thought. 
This  state  is  represented  by  the  lion  who  had  eagle's 
wings.  At  the  commencement  of  every  church  the 
truth  is  received  intellectually.  In  this  state,  man  is 
apt  to  reason  about  truths  and  to  regard  them  as  his 
own.  He  is  delighted  with  his  new  acquisitions  and 
soars  to  heights  of  reasoning  and  speculation.  But 
afterwards  this  merely  intellectual  state  is  passed,  and 
man  no  longer  feels  the  disposition  to  reason  from  his 
propfium  —  the  intellectual  power  is  subdued  in  him. 
This  is  signified  by  the  wings  being  plucked.  A  true 
rational  state  succeeds.       This  is  grounded  in  obedience 


THE  VISION  OF  THE  FOUR  BEASTS 


115 


and  a  knowledge  and  love  of  heavenly  truths.  This  is 
meant  by  the  image  of  the  lion  being  "lifted  up  from 
the  earth  and  made  to  stand  upon  two  feet  as  a  man," 
and  a  man's  heart  being  given  to  it. 

But  this  state  does  not  remain.  There  is  a  descent 
or  decline  to  a  lower  state.  This  is  represented  by  the 
second  beast. 

And  behold,  another  beast,  a  second,  like  to  a  bear,  and  it 
raised  up  itself  on  one  side  and  it  had  three  ribs  in  the  mouth 
of  it,  between  the  teeth  of  it ;  and  they  said  thus  unto  it,  Arise, 
devour  much  flesh.     (Ver.  5.) 

When  the  church  loses  its  power  of  understanding 
the  Word  rationally,  it  sinks  into  mere  naturalism  and 
literalism.  The  most  heretical  doctrines  may  be  con- 
firmed from  the  letter  of  the  Word.  The  church,  which 
is  represented  by  Babylon,  has  confirmed  its  power  by 
passages  of  the  Word  literally  interpreted,  as  that  the 
keys  were  given  to  Peter  and  by  him  handed  down  to 
his  successors. 

The  vision  of  the  bear  with  three  ribs  in  its  mouth 
is  a  symbol  of  the  church  in  which  all  the  hard  literal 
truths  of  the  Word  are  used  to  teach  submission  to  the 
power  of  the  church.  By  such  teaching  all  rationality 
and  freedom  is  taken  away  from  man,  and  he  is  spirit- 
ually devoured  or  swallowed  up,  and  is  no  longer  capa- 
ble of  understanding  anything  spiritual. 

After  this  I  beheld,  and  lo,  another,  like  a  leopard,  which 
had  upon  the  back  of  it  four  wings  of  a  fowl ;  the  beast  had 
also  four  heads  ;  and  dominion  was  given  to  it.     (Ver.  6.) 

The  third  state  of  the  church  here  represented  is 
that  in  which  the  false  doctrines  invented  by  its  leaders 


I  16  I'll     Bl  M  IK  l  >l-    DANIEL 

are  niaclc  to  appear  as  true.  The  leopard  is  a  treacher- 
ous animal  ;  it  has  a  beautiful  skin,  variegated  with  light 

and  dark  spots,  which  typify  the  falsification  of  truth, 
by  which  the  most  erroneous  doctrines  are  made  to  ap- 
pear true.  When  truths  are  thus  falsified  and  con- 
firmed by  reasonings  they  become  fixed  and  rooted,  so 
that  the_\-  cannot  be  changed.  The  prophet  says  : 
••Can  the  Ethiopian  change  his  skin,  or  the  leopard 
his  spots  ?  "      f J  i.k.  xiii.  23.) 

It  is  said  that  "the  beast  had  four  heads  and  domin- 
ion was  given  to  it."  Those  who  are  represented  by 
leopards  were  those  in  the  Christian  Church,  especially 
among  the  clergy,  who  by  false  reasonings  made  their 
erroneous  doctrines  appear  true  to  the  minds  of  the 
simple,  especially  the  doctrine  of  salvation  by  faith 
alone,  without  the  works  of  charity.  This  doctrine  ob- 
tained power  at  the  time  of  the  Reformation,  and  the 
leaders  of  the  church  at  that  day  gained  dominion  over 
men's  minds  through  the  influence  of  that  doctrine. 

The}-  laid  claim  to  science,  reason,  intelligence,  and 
wisdom,  represented  by  the  four  heads  of  the  beast  by 
which  the}  exercised  power  in  the  church.  The  four 
wings  represented  the  power  of  reasoning  and  confirm- 
ing what  they  teach. 

The  fourth  beast  is  thus  described  : 

After  this  I  saw  in  the  night  visions  and,  behold,  a  fourth 
beast,  dreadful  and  terrible,  and  strong  exceedingly  ;  and  it  had 
great  iron  teeth  ;  it  devoured  and  broke  in  pieces,  and  stamped 
the  residue  with  the  feet  of  it ;  and  it  was  diverse  from  all  the 
beasts  that  were  before  it;  and  it  had  ten  horns.      (  Ver.  7.) 

By  this  beast,  we  are  told,  is  described  the  last  state 
of  the  church,  when    there  was   no   longer  any  good   or 


THE  VISION  OF  THE  TOUR  BEASTS  (  lj 

truth  remaining  in  it.  This  beast  resembles  the  beast 
with  its  seven  heads  and  ten  horns  mentioned  in  the 
seventeenth  chapter  of  the  book  of  Revelation.  The 
church  comes  to  an  end  when  there  is  no  longer  any 
charity  and  consequently  no  genuine  faith  in  the  Lord. 

By  a  horn  is  signified  the  power  of  truth  from  good, 
and,  in  the  opposite  sense,  the  power  of  falsity  from 
evil.  Here  the  horn  is  a  symbol  of  the  power  of  falsity, 
and  the  ten  horns  denote  every  kind  of  falsity.  By  the 
little  horn  mentioned  in  the  eighth  verse,  which  came 
up  among  them,  is  signified  "  the  full  and  entire  perver- 
sion of  the  Word  by  applying  the  literal  sense  to  con- 
firm the  love  of  dominion."      (A.  E.  316.) 

In  this  little  horn  there  were  "eyes  like  the  eyes  of 
man,  and  a  mouth  speaking  great  things." 

With  what  power  and  eloquence  have  the  great  leaders 
of  the  church  among  the  clergy  proclaimed  the  doctrine 
that  the  power  of  the  Lord  to  forgive  sins  has  been 
granted  to  them.  This  doctrine  has  assumed  many 
forms.  Not  only  in  the  Papal  dominion  has  it  been 
taught.  Wherever  men  have  been  taught  to  believe 
that  there  is  any  power  to  save  in  merely  human  beings, 
the  Lord  has  been  blasphemed  and  the  church  has  come 
to  an  end.  Because  this  state  prevailed  at  the  end  of 
the  church  the  Lord  came  again  to  manifest  His  power 
and  glory  and  to  save  men  from  this  great  evil. 

The  vision  which  Daniel  had  of  the  Ancient  of  days 
is  descriptive  of  the  Lord  in  His  Second  Coming.  It 
is  similar  to  the  vision  of  John.  (Rev.  i.  14.)  By  the 
coming  of  the  Lord  in  the  spirit  and  power  of  His  Word, 
a  judgment  was  effected.  This  is  meant  by  the  thrones 
having   been    cast   down.      The   Lord   as   Divine   Truth 


I  [8  THE    r.<  M  iK  l  il    DANIE1 

occupied  the  scat  of  power,  instead  of  those  who  claimed 
power  for  themselves.  "  His  throne  was  like  the  fiery 
flame  and  His  wheels  as  a  burning  fire."  This  signifies 
that  the  Divine  Truth  proceeds  from  the  Divine  Love, 
which  is  like  a  consuming  fire.  Thus  in  the  appear- 
ance of  the  "Son  of  Man  "  we  have  the  Divine  Truth 
represented  by  the  whiteness  of  His  garments  and  of 
I  lis  hair,  and  the  Divine  Love  represented  by  the  red 
and  fiery  flame. 

In  the  thirteenth  verse  we  read  : 

I  saw  in  the  night  visions,  and  behold  one  like  unto  a  son  of 
man  came  with  the  clouds  of  heaven  and  came  to  the  Ancient 
of  days  and  they  brought  him  near  before  him. 

The  term  "Son  of  Man"  is  peculiar  to  the  Gospel, 
and  it  is  more  correct  to  read  a  "  son  of  man,"  as  Daniel 
could  not  have  used  this  expression  with  direct  refer- 
ence to  the  Lord  as  the  one  Divine  Man,  for  lie  was 
not  known  as  such  before  His  coming'  in  the  flesh, 
although  a  coming  Man  was  looked  for,  and  thought  of. 
The  term  "Ancient  of  days"  means  the  Lord  from 
eternity,  or  Jehovah.  It  also  means  the  Lord  as  Divine 
Good,  as  the  Son  of  Man  means  the  Lord  as  to  Divine 
Truth.  (A.  E.  199.)  It  has  been  suggested  by  some 
writers  in  endeavoring  to  explain  the  words,  "the}' 
brought  him  near  before  him,"  that  there  is  a  distinc- 
tion to  be  made  between  the  "Ancient  of  days"  and 
the  "Son  of  Man,"  and  that  the  word  "the}'  "  refers  to 
the  angelic  powers  by  whom  the  Son  of  Man  or  Christ 
was  brought  into  union  with  the  Father.  Hut  the  Lord 
was  not  only  the  "  Son  born  "  and  the  "  Child  given," 
but  the  "  Father  of  eternity."     Cod  was  in    Him   and 


THE  VISION  OF  THE  FOUR  BEASTS 


I  19 


the  Divine  in  Him  was  in  the  beginning  with  God.  "  I 
came  forth  from  the  Father  and  am  come  into  the 
world.  Again,  I  leave  the  world  and  go  unto  the 
Father." 

To  this  "Son  of  Man"  there  was  given  "dominion 
and  glory,  and  a  kingdom,  that  all  people,  nations,  and 
languages  should  serve  Him.  His  dominion  is  an  ever- 
lasting dominion,  which  shall  not  pass  away,  and  His 
Kingdom  that  which  shall  not  be  destroyed."  The 
Lord  said,  "  All  power  is  given  to  Me  in  heaven  and  on 
earth."  By  this  power  He  was  enabled  to  overcome 
all  the  power  of  evil  at  His  first  and  at  His  Second 
Coming. 

Daniel  says  : 

As  for  me,  Daniel,  my  spirit  was  grieved  in  the  midst  of  my 
body  and  the  visions  of  my  head  troubled  me.  (Ver.  15.) 

The  word  "  body "  is  better  translated  "  sheath." 
The  body  is  only  a  sheath  or  covering  of  the  spirit. 
While  man  remains  in  the  natural  world  the  bodily 
senses  often  obscure  the  understanding  of  spiritual 
things.  Daniel  was  troubled  because  he  could  not 
understand  the  vision.  The  interpretation  was  given 
to  him,  however,  by  further  representations. 

This  interpretation  needs  to  be  explained  by  the  law 
of  correspondence.  The  images  are  repeated,  but  four 
kings  are  spoken  of.  Here  we  may  fall  into  the  same 
error  that  we  pointed  out  in  our  notes  upon  the  second 
chapter.  The  error  is  in  speaking  of  the  four  kingdoms 
as  if  they  referred  to  the  four  great  monarchies  of  the 
East.  These  four  kings  do  not  refer  to  earthly  powers, 
but  to  the  evil   and  false  influences  which   prevailed   at 


j  20  '  '"     l!l  "  ,K   '  »!    DANIE1 

the  end  of  the  church,  which  the  Lord  overcame  at  I  lis 
Second  Coming.  "These  great  beasts  which  are  four, 
are  four  kings  which  shall  arise  out  of  the  earth."  The 
mind  is  brought  into  utter  confusion  of  thought  by  the 
attempt  to  identify  these  four  kings  with  any  earthly 
rulers.  The)'  simply  represent  and  signify  certain  false 
principles  which  obtain  dominion  over  the  human  mind, 
and  the  horns  signify  the  destructive  power  of  those 
principles.  All  these  were  finally  overcome  by  the 
Lord,  the  "Horn  of  salvation,"  raised  up  for  us  in  the 
house  of  his  servant  David. 

The  fourth  beast,  "exceeding  dreadful,"  is  a  repre- 
sentative oi  the  doctrine  of  salvation  by  faith  alone. 
This  is  what  made  war  with  the  saints  until  the  Ancient 
of  days  came.  Then  the  "judgment  was  given"  and 
"the  time  came  that  the  saints  possessed  the  kingdom," 
that  is,  when  the  power  of  this  false  doctrine  is  oxer- 
come,  all  who  are  in  the  good  of  life  are  brought  to  a 
true  knowledge  of  the  Lord.  To  these  the  kingdom 
will  be  given  after  the}-  have  passed  through  trial  and 
tribulation.  The  "former  things"  will  "pass  away" 
and  a  Xew  Church  will  be  established  in  which  the 
Lord  alone  will  be  worshipped. 

And  the  kingdom  and  the  dominion,  and  the  greatness  of  the 
kingdoms  under  the  whole  heaven  shall  he  given  to  the  people 
of  the  saints  of  the  Most  High  :  His  kingdom  is  an  everlasting 
kingdom  and  all  dominions  shall  serve  and  obey  Him.  (Ver. 
27-) 

In  reading  these  wonderful  visions,  doubts  may  arise 
in  our  minds,  and  we  may  be  troubled,  but  if,  like 
Daniel,  we  keep  the  matter  in  our  hearts,  the  Lord  will 
give  us  light  and  peace. 


THE  RAM  AND  THE  HE  G<  >AT  i  2  I 


CHAPTER   VIII. 
In  the  third  year  of  the  reign  of  king  Belshazzar  a  vision 
appeared  unto  me,  even  unto  me  Daniel,  after  that  which 

2  appeared  unto  me  at  the  first.  And  I  saw  in  the  vision  ; 
now  it  was  so,  that  when  I  saw.  I  was  in  Shushan  the  palace, 
which  is  in  the  province  of  Elam  ;  and  I  saw  in  the  vision, 

3  and  I  was  by  the  river  Ulai.  Then  I  lifted  up  mine  eyes, 
and  saw,  and,  behold,  there  stood  before  the  river  a  ram 
which  had  two  horns  :  and  the  two  horns  were  high  ;  but 
one  was  higher  than  the  other,  and  the  higher  came  up  last. 

4  I  saw  the  ram  pushing  westward,  and  northward,  and  south- 
ward ;  and  no  beasts  could  stand  before  him,  neither  was 
there  any  that  could  deliver  out  of  his   hand;  but  he  did 

5  according  to  his  will,  and  magnified  himself.  And  as  I  was 
considering,  behold  an  he-goat  came  from  the  west  over  the 
face  of  the  whole  earth,  and  touched  not  the  ground  :   and 

6  the  goat  had  a  notable  horn  between  his  eyes.  And  he  came 
to  the  ram  that  had  the  two  horns,  which  I  saw  standing 
before  the  river,  and  ran  upon  him  in  the  fury  of  his  power. 

7  And  I  saw  him  come  close  unto  the  ram,  and  he  was  moved 
with  choler  against  him,  and  smote  the  ram,  and  brake  his  two 
horns  ;  and  there  was  no  power  in  the  ram  to  stand  before 
him  :  but  he  cast  him  down  to  the  ground,  and  trampled 
upon  him  ;  and  there  was  none  that  could  deliver  the  ram 

8  out  of  his  hand.  And  the  he-goat  magnified  himself  ex- 
ceedingly :  and  when  he  was  strong,  the  great  horn  was 
broken  ;  and  instead  of  it  there  came  up  four  notable  horns 

9  toward  the  four  winds  of  heaven.  And  out  of  one  of  them 
came  forth  a  little  horn,  which  waxed  exceeding  great,  tow- 
ard the  south,  and  toward  the  east,  and  toward  the  glorious 

10  land.     And  it  waxed  great,  even  to  the  host  of  heaven  ;  and 
some  of  the  host  and  of  the  stars  it  cast  down  to  the  ground, 


I  22  !  HE   »  II  IK   '  »F  D  Will 

1  i  ami  trampled  upon  them.  Yea,  it  magnified  itself,  even  to 
the  prince  of  the  host  ;  and  it  took  away  from  him  the  con- 
tinual burnt  offering,  and  the  place  of  his  sanctuary  was  cast 

ij  down.  And  the  host  was  given  over  to  it  together  with  the 
continual  burnt  offering  through  transgresMon  ;  and  it  cast 
down  truth  to  the  ground,  and  it  did  its  pleasure  and  pros- 

13  pered.  Then  I  heard  a  holy  one  speaking  ;  and  another  holy 
one  said  unto  that  certain  one  which  spake.  How  long  shall 
be  the  vision  concerning  the  continual  burnt  offering,  and 
the  transgression  that  maketh  desolate,  to  give    both    the 

14  sanctuary  and  the  host  to  be  trodden  under  foot?  And  he 
said  unto  me.  Unto  two  thousand  and  three  hundred  even- 
ings and  mornings  ;  then  shall  the  sanctuary  be  cleansed. 

15  And  it  came  to  pass,  when  I,  even  I  Daniel,  had  seen  the 
vision,  that  I  sought  to  understand   it ;  and,  behold,  there 

16  stood  before  me  as  the  appearance  of  a  man.  And  I  heard 
a  man's  voice  between  the  bunks  of  (Jlai,  which   called,  and 

\J  said,  Gabriel,  make  this  man  to  understand  the  vision.  So 
he  came  near  where  I  stood  ;  and  when  he  came,  I  was 
affrighted,  and  fell  upon  my  face  ;  but  he  said  unto  me. 
Understand,  ()  son  of  man  ;  for  the  vision  belongeth  to  the 

i<S  time  of  the  end.  Now  as  he  wis  speaking  with  me.  I  fell 
into  a  deep  sleep  with  my  face  toward  the  ground  :   but  he 

19  touched  me,  and  set  me  upright.  And  he  said,  Behold,  I 
will  make  thee  know  what  shall  be  in  the  latter  time  of  the 
indignation  :   for  it  belongeth  to  the  appointed  time  of  the 

20  end.      The  ram  which  thou  sawest  that  had  the  two  horns. 

21  they  are  the  kings  of  Media  and  Persia.  .And  the  rough  he- 
goat  is  the  king  of  Greece  :  and  the  great  horn  that  is  be- 

22  tween  his  eyes  is  the  first  king.  And  as  for  that  which  was 
broken,  in  the  place  whereof  four  stood  up,  four  kingdoms 

23  shall  stand  up  out  of  the  nation,  but  not  with  his  power.  And 
in  the  latter  time  of  their  kingdom,  when  the  transgressors  are 


THE   RAM   AND  THE  HE-GOAT  [23 

come  to  the  full,  a  king  of  fierce  countenance,  and  under- 

24  standing  dark  sentences,  shall  stand  up.  And  his  power 
shall  be  mighty,  but  not  by  his  own  power  ;  and  he  shall 
destroy  wonderfully,  and  shall  prosper  and  do  his  pleasure : 
and  he  shall  destroy  the  mighty  ones  and  the  holy  people. 

25  And  through  his  policy  he  shall  cause  craft  to  prosper  in  his 
hand  ;  and  he  shall  magnify  himself  in  his  heart,  and  in 
their  security  shall  he  destroy  many  :  he  shall  also  stand  up 
against  the  prince  of  princes  ;  but  he  shall  be  broken  with- 

26  out  hand.  And  the  vision  of  the  evenings  and  mornings 
which  hath  been  told  is  true  :  but  shut  thou  up  the  vision  ; 

27  for  it  belongeth  to  many  days  to  come.  And  I  Daniel 
fainted,  and  was  sick  certain  days  ;  then  1  rose  up,  and  did 
the  king's  business  :  and  I  was  astonished  at  the  vision,  but 
none  understood  it. 


REFERENCES. 

Numbers. 
V  erses. 

C.  L.  26 

...      P.  P. 
1-3 

1-14  and  following A.  E.  817 

1  and  following    D.  Lord,  52;    D.  P.  134;    A.  R.  36,  945;   T-  C-  R-  157.  85J 

1  to  end A.C.411,2832;    Diet.  P.  12 

.        .  D.  Lord,  52;    D.  P.  134:   A.  R.  36,  945;  T-  C-  R-  J57 

2_I4  .        .        D.F.65,  66,  67;  B.  E.  83;  T.C.  R.  537 

A.C.  101S2 

'      ,    r    ,,  •  .  .        A.   C.    283O 

3,  4,  and  following J 

A.  E.  316 
3-5,  7-12,  21 J 

..    ,.     or  ...         A.   R.  27O 

3-5,7-12,21,25 ■         .p.p. 

.     A.  C.  3708 
4'5'9 PP. 

5-I2-  :  :  : a-r-s86 

A.  E.  600 
5-25 


[24 


THE  El  >i  IK  <  »!•   DANIEL 


5-1 1,  25 A.  C.  10132 

5,  9,  10,  12 A.  C.  4769 

6-10 P.P. 

7,  10 A.  E.  632 

8 A.  E.  418 

8-10 A.  C.  9642 

8-1 1 \.  k.  51 

9 A.  C.  9815 

9,  10 A.  C.  1458,1808,2495,4697 

9-1 1 A.  C.  5922;    A.  E.  72 

9-13 A-  c-  3448 

9-14  A.  C.  7988 

10 A.  C.  9408;   A.  E.  535 

10-12 A .  k .  7 1 1 

10-13 A.  C.  10042 

10-14 A.  R.  447;    A.  E.  573 

10,  12 A.  k.  541;   A.  E.  720 

II A.  (  .  9485 

11,  12 P.  P. 

12 a.  k.  51 

13 A.  C.  2838,9229;    A.  E.  700 

13.  '4 A.  C.  7844,  10134,  10135;    P.P. 

13.  J4>  26 A.  C.  2405 

14 A.  C.8211;   C.L.J.  13;   A.  E.  612 

14,26      .  A.C.  22,  2333;   A.  R.  151;  T.C.  R.  764;   A. E.  179;  Coronis,  5 

15-19 P.  P. 

17 A.  C.  9807;   D.  Lord,  28;   A.  E.  63 

17,  19,  26 I).  Lord.  4:    Diet  P.  12 

2C-25 P.  P. 

20  to  end A.C.  2547 

21 A.  k.  34:    A.  K.  50 

21,  23 A.  k.  720 

23 A.  E.  412 

23,  25 A.  R.  586 

26 C.  I..  J.  13;    P.  P. 

27 P.  P. 

Chapter  cited  A.C.  10042,  10455;    H.  &  II.  171;    I).  F.  61,  63;   A.  E.  716, 

734;    1  )iars.  2;    App.  5 


THE  RAM  AND  THE  HE-GOAT  125 


COMMENTARY. 

THE    RAM    AND    THE    HE-GOAT. 

In  this  chapter  we  are  told  of  a  vision  which  Daniel 
had.  By  the  "  vision  "  we  understand  the  opening  of 
his  spiritual  sight,  and  not  a  dream.  It  may  have  oc- 
curred to  him  in  the  daytime.  In  point  of  time  it  must 
have  been  two  years  later  than  the  dream  recorded  in 
the  previous  chapter.      We  read  : 

In  the  third  year  of  the  reign  of  King  Belshazzar  a  vision 
appeared  unto  me,  even  unto  me,  Daniel,  after  that  which  ap- 
peared unto  me  at  the  first.  And  I  saw  in  the  vision  :  now  it 
was  so,  when  I  saw,  that  I  was  in  Shusan  in  the  palace,  which 
is  in  the  province  of  Elam  ;  and  I  saw  in  the  vision,  and  I  was 
by  the  river  of  Ulai.     (Ver.  1.) 

Shusan  is  supposed  to  be  the  same  as  Susa,  the  "  city 
of  lilies."  It  was  formerly  the  capital  of  the  country 
called  Elam,  which  was  a  province  of  Babylon  under  Bel- 
shazzar. The  word  translated  "palace"  is  the  Hebrew 
form  of  the  Persian  barn,  which  means  a  fortress,  or 
fortified  castle.  Commentators  have  supposed  that  Daniel 
had  this  vision  in  Susa,  whither  he  had  gone  on  busi- 
ness of  the  king  ;  but  there  seems  little  reason  for 
this  supposition.  He  may  have  been  acquainted  with 
that  city  and  visited  it  on  official  business  at  different 
times,  but  in  his  own  home  in  Babylon,  the  city  of  Susa, 
the  fortress  and  the  river  could  have  been  seen  ;  that 
is,  the  images  of  them  in  his  own  memory  could  have 
been  called  forth,  while  the  vision  itself  of  the  ram  and 
the  he-goat,  which  were  representative  forms,  was  seen 


,  26  I  HE  BOOK  OF    DANIEL 

in  the  spiritual  world.  It  was  like  that  of  the  beasts 
rising  out  of  the  sea.  The  object  oi  this  vision  was  to 
depict   the  state  of  the  Church  in   the  future,  and  not 

the  destinies  of  the  kingdoms  of  Medo-Persia  and  ( irceia, 
as  has  been  supposed.     The  fact  that  symbolic  figures, 

such  as  winged  beasts  with  one  or  two  horns,  are  found 
on  Persian  gems  and  cylinders,  furnishes  no  ground  for 
giving  an  interpretation  to  this  vision  which  makes  it 
apply  to  earthly  affairs.  Its  meaning  is  purely  spiritual, 
as  much  so  as  the  Apocalypse.  As  to  the  mention  of 
these  earthly  kingdoms  in  the  latter  part  of  this  chap- 
ter, and  the  comparison  made  between  them  and  the 
ram  and  goat,  we  shall  speak  presently. 

The  wars  or  combats  mentioned  in  the  Word  signify 
spiritual  conflicts  or  combats  between  what  is  true  and 
what  is  false,  or  between  good  and  evil.  Here,  in  this 
vision  of  the  ram  and  the  he-goat,  we  have  a  represen- 
tation of  the  great  conflict  between  true  faith  on  the 
one  hand  and  a  false  faith  on  the  other.  The  former  is 
represented  by  the  ram,  the  latter  by  the  he-goat. 

The  ram,  the  male  of  the  sheep,  corresponds,  in  this 
vision,  to  the  principle  of  faith  united  with  charity, 
springing  from  a  state  of  innocence,  and  it  represents 
the  Church  in  this  state;  while  the  horns  denote  the 
power  of  truth  derived  from  good.  The  Lord  compared 
His  faithful  followers  to  sheep.  "  I  know  My  sheep 
and  am  known  of  Mine."  "My  sheep  hear  My  voice 
and  follow  Me." 

Faith  is  the  spiritual  principle  of  the  Church.  It  is 
formed  by  means  of  truths  derived  from  the  Word  and 
a  life  in  obedience  to  them.      Any  one  who  has  observed 


THE   RAM   AND  THE   1  IK-COAT  \  2/ 

the  habits  of  sheep  may  see  how  beautifully  they  sym- 
bolize the  trusting  and  confiding  followers  of  the  Lord. 
Obedience,  docility,  patience,  and  trusting  confidence 
are  their  marked  traits.  The  true  followers  of  the  Lord 
who  really  constitute  His  Church  possess  spiritual  qual- 
ities to  which  these  natural  traits  correspond.  We  are 
led  to  believe  from  the  history  of  the  Church  that  the 
early  Christians  were  of  this  character.  The  faith  of 
the  Church  was  pure  so  long  as  men  believed  in  the 
Lord,  loved  Him,  and  obeyed  Him.  They  forsook  all 
and  followed  Him.  The  spiritual  principle  of  faith, 
then,  and  those  who  have  this  principle  in  them,  are 
symbolized  by  the  ram  with  two  horns  seen  by  Daniel 
in  vision. 

All  power  is  in  good  which  manifests  itself  in  and  by  the 
truth  ;  or  it  is  in  truth  derived  from  good.      (A.  C.  10182.) 

These  are  the  two  horns  of  the  ram,  one  somewhat 
higher  than  the  other. 

It  is  written  : 

I  saw  the  ram  pushing  westward,  and  northward,  and  south- 
ward, so  that  no  beast  might  stand  before  him  ;  neither  were 
there  any  that  could  deliver  out  of  his  hand  ;  but  he  did  ac- 
cording to  his  will  and  magnified  himself.      (Ver.  4.) 

There  is  no  doubt  that  the  power  of  a  genuine  faith 
in  the  Lord  increased  and  overcame  many  evils,  from 
the  time  of  the  Lord's  coming  until  the  end  of  the  first 
three  centuries  of  the  Christian  era.  No  other  power 
could  stand  against  it.  It  pushed  its  way  in  different 
directions.  The  Christian  Church,  while  it  retained  a 
pure  faith  in  the  Lord,  continued  to  grow  and  flourish, 


I  28  THE  Bl  >0K  OF  DANIEL 

extending  from  Asia  into  parts  of  Europe  and  Africa. 
But  it  is  well  known  that  Christianity  declined  and  lost 
its  pure  faith  in  the  Lord. 

The  decline  of  the  Church  is  always  due  to  the  loss 
of  charity  and  the  exaltation  of  faith  above  it.  This 
is  foreshadowed  in  what  is  said  in  the  following  verses: 

And  as  I  was  considering,  behold  an  he-goat  came  from  the 
west  over  the  face  of  the  whole  earth,  and  touched  not  the 
ground  :  and  the  goat  had  a  notable  horn  between  his  eyes. 
And  he  came  to  the  ram  that  had  die  two  horns,  which  I  saw 
standing  before  the  river,  and  ran  upon  him  in  the  fury  of  his 
power.      (Ver.  5,  6.) 

As  sheep  and  lambs  are  the  symbols  of  charity  and 
innocence  and  the  faith  which  is  derived  from  charity, 
-oats  are  the  symbols  of  what  is  opposite  to  this  true 
faith  ;  that  is,  faith  alone  which  is  always  connected 
with  pride  and  self-conceit.  The  he-goat  thus  repre- 
sents the  Church  in  its  fallen  condition,  when  its  mem- 
bers are  in  the  belief  that  salvation  depends  upon  faith 
separate  from  charity  and  good  works. 

In  the  twenty-fifth  chapter  of  Matthew,  the  Lord  de- 
scribes under  the  form  of  a  parable  the  nature  of  the 
judgment.  The  sheep  are  set  on  the  right  hand  and 
the  -oats  on  the  left.  The  former  are  called  and  chosen 
while  the  latter  are  cast  out.  The  Lord  says,  by  the 
prophet  Ezekiel  : 

And  as  for  you,  O  my  flock,  thus  saith  the  Lord  Clod,  Behold 
1  judge  between  cattle  and  cattle,  between  the  rams  and  he- 
goats.     ( <  'hap.  xxxiv. ) 

Now  it  is  wonderful  how  this  doctrine  of  salvation  by 


THE  RAM   AND  THE  HE-GOAT 


129 


faith  alone  has  prevailed  in  all  parts  of  the  Christian 
Church,  and  how  those  who  have  become  confirmed  in 
it  have  opposed  all  who  have  not  accepted  it.  It  has 
many  forms  and  phases.  Not  merely  has  it  presented 
itself  in  the  form  of  the  dogma  of  salvation  by  faith  in 
the  merits  of  Christ's  sufferings,  but  wherever  men 
have  cherished  the  idea  that  knowledge  without  love  or 
without  the  works  of  charity  is  of  saving  efficacy,  it  has 
become  antagonistic  to  the  idea  of  simple  faith  in  the 
Lord  and  obedience  to  His  precepts.  The  pride  and 
haughtiness  of  those  who  claim  to  be  the  sole  possessors 
of  the  power  of  God  by  virtue  of  their  retaining  a 
knowledge,  however  perverted,  of  the  revealed  Word  of 
God,  and  who  deny  the  existence  of  a  church  outside 
of  their  own  establishment  is  one  form  of  this  falsity, 
symbolized  by  the  he-goat.  The  spirit  of  this  false  faith 
is  destructive  of  religion,  and  it  manifests  a  determined 
hostility  towards  those  who  oppose  it. 

And  I  saw  him  come  close  unto  the  ram,  and  he  was  moved 
with  choler  against  him  and  smote  the  ram,  and  brake  his  two 
horns  ;  and  there  was  no  power  in  the  ram  to  stand  before  him, 
but  he  cast  him  down  to  the  ground,  and  trampled  upon  him  : 
and  there  was  none  that  could  deliver  the  ram  out  of  his  hand. 
(Ver.  7.) 

There  is  no  power  in  man  to  overcome  falsity  when 
it  becomes  deep-rooted  and  powerful.  The  Reformers 
were  unable  to  overcome  the  power  of  Rome,  and  the 
Roman  Church  was  unable  to  remove  the  false  doctrine 
of  salvation  by  faith  alone.  This  dogma  was  broken 
into  pieces  by  the  very  zeal   and  fury  of  those  who  ad- 


130 


THE  B<  M  >K  i  IF  DANIEL 


vocated  it  ;  and  out  of  this  monstrous  error  many  others 
sprang  up  at  the  end  of  the  Christian  Church. 

We  read  : 

And  the  he-goat  magnified  himself  exceedingly  ;  and  when 
he  was  strong  the  great  horn  was  broken  ;  and  instead  of  it 
came  up  tour  notable  horns,  towards  the  four  winds  of  heaven. 
And  out  of  one  of  them  came  forth  a  little  horn  which  waxed 
exceeding  great,  toward  the  south,  and  toward  the  east,  and 
toward  the  glorious  land.  And  it  waxed  great  even  to  the  host 
of  heaven  ;  and  it  cast  down  some  of  the  host  and  of  the  stars 
to  the  ground,  and  trampled  upon  them.      (Ver.  8-10.) 

The  four  horns  which  came  up  in  the  place  of  the 
great  horn,  which  was  first  seen  between  the  eyes  of 
the  he-goat,  symbolize  the  numerous  errors  which  have 
grown  out  of  this  original  doctrine,  as  first  taught  by 
the  Reformers,  and  afterwards  mixed  with  evils  which 
were  made  allowable.  The  tendency  of  all  false  teach- 
ing is  to  propagate  new  errors  which  divide  and  sub- 
divide the  Church.  In  connection  with  these  four  horns 
another  one,  a  "  little  horn,"  is  spoken  of  as  growing- 
out  of  them. 

This  "  little  horn  "  specially  denotes  the  doctrine  that 
man  is  justified  when  he  believes  in  the  vicarious  atone- 
ment and  substituted  sacrifice.  (See  A.  E.  632.)  This 
doctrine  of  justification  makes  light  of  obedience,  and 
even  declares  that  man  cannot  keep  the  Commandments. 
How  much  it  has  grown,  and  what  an  influence  it  has 
had  in  creating  division  in  the  Christian  Church  and 
alienating  men  from  each  other,  history  abundantl} 
shows.  Faith  alone  always  divides,  especially  when  its 
advocates  claim  to  be  righteous  or  boh-  above  others. 


THE  RAM  AND  THE  HE-GOAT 


131 


Its  constant  tendency  is  to  destroy  the  influence  of 
the  Word  itself  and  the  truths  which  teach  men  to  love 
the  Lord  and  the  neighbor.  These  truths  of  the  Word 
are  meant  by  the  stars  which  the  he-goat  cast  down  to 
the  ground  and  trampled  upon.  (For  further  explana- 
tion of  the  ram  and  he-goat,  see  Doctrine  concerning 
Faith,  65-67.) 

The  "daily  sacrifice  "  was  "taken  away"  when  men 
ceased  to  bring  their  religion  into  daily  life  and  to  make 
every  act  holy  by  devoting  themselves  to  the  service  of 
the  Lord  and  the  neighbor.  This  profanation  continued 
until  it  came  to  the  full  and  a  judgment  was  executed. 
This  fulness  of  state  is  represented  by  "  two  thousand 
and  three  hundred  days,"  or  "  evenings  and  mornings." 
No  period  of  natural  time  could  exactly  express  the 
duration  on  earth  of  this  evil  state  of  things  in  the 
church. 

In  the  spiritual  sense  of  the  Word  numbers  have  no 
natural  application,  but  are  used  purely  with  reference 
to  their  spiritual  signification.  In  this  instance  these 
numbers  signify  a  fulness  of  state,  when  evil  and  falsity 
were  united,  and  the  sanctuary  of  religion  was  defiled, 
and  the  abomination  of  desolation  stood  in  the  holy 
place.     (See  Matt.  xxiv.  15.) 

The  morning  signifies  the  Lord,  His  coming,  and  the 
rise  of  a  New  Church.  The  evening  signifies  the  last 
time  of  the  church,  when  it  is  fully  vastated.  These 
are  the  subjects  treated  of  in  the  spiritual  sense  of 
verses  thirteen  and  fourteen. 

From  the  fifteenth  verse  a  new  state  of  things  is  in- 
dicated : 


132 


THE  HooK  OF  DANIEL 


And  it  came  to  pass  when  I,  even  I,  I  )aniel,  had  seen  the 
vision,  tint  I  sought  to  understand  it  ;  and,  behold,  there  stood 
before  me  as  the  appearance  of  a  man. 

Here  we  sec  a  similarity  to  the  appearance  of  the 
Son  of  Man  to  John.  The  Lord  is  a  Divine  Man,  and 
in  all  His  manifestations  to  men,  as  recorded  in  the 
Word,  He  has  appeared  in  a  human  form. 

And  I  heard  a  man's  voice  between  the  banks  of  Ulai,  which 
called  and  said,  Gabriel,  make  this  man  to  understand  the 
vision. 

As  the  man  first  spoken  of  represents  the  Lord, 
Gabriel  represents  a  heavenly  society,  and  especially  a 
heavenly  society  which  is  in  the  knowledge  respecting 
the  Lord's  advent,  and  that  He  is  the  God  of  heaven 
and  earth.      (See  ante  pp.  19,  20.) 

The  judgment  is  represented  by  the  cleansing  of  the 
sanctuary.  Daniel,  as  he  stands  by  the  River  Ulai, 
seeking  to  understand  the  vision,  represents  those  who 
are  capable  of  being  taught  and  instructed  by  the  Lord. 

In  reality  the  vision  and  its  explanation  are  one  ; 
that  is,  they  contain  the  same  spiritual  ideas.  By  the 
appearance  of  the  "  man  "  is  meant  the  appearance  of 
the  Lord,  to  reveal  the  truths  of  heaven  from  the  Word. 
The  river  is  the  stream  of  truth  which  is  contained  in 
the  Word,  and  the  man's  voice  is  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord 
speaking  from  it  and  making  known  the  state  of  the 
church. 

Daniel  was  actually  brought  into  communication  with 
a  heavenly  society,  and  received  something  of  its  light 
or    knowledge.       The    appearance    of    the    angel    ot     the 


THE  RAM  AND  THE  HE-GOAT 


'33 


Lord  threw  him  at  first  into  a  state  of  fear,  and  he  fell 
upon  his  face.  Man  in  his  natural  state  of  life  is  un- 
able to  endure  the  appearance  of  angels.  This  is  shown 
in  other  places  in  the  Word.  So  Daniel  not  only  fell 
upon  his  face,  but  fell  into  a  deep  sleep,  which  repre- 
sents the  state  of  the  natural  man.  At  the  time  of  the 
Lord's  Second  Coming  and  the  revelation  of  the  spir- 
itual meaning  of  the  Word,  the  whole  Christian  world 
was  in  a  state  of  mere  naturalism.  It  required  a  new 
manifestation  to  awaken  the  world  from  this  slumber. 

Daniel,  as  a  prophet,  represents  those  to  whom  the 
Lord  reveals  Himself  at  His  Second  Coming,  who  hav- 
ing received  the  light  become  the  means  of  communi- 
cating it  to  others.  The  angel  touched  Daniel  and  he 
stood  upright. 

Then  follows  what  seems  to  be  an  explanation  of  the 
vision  of  the  ram  and  the  he-goat  ;  but  the  explanation 
is  clothed  in  figurative  language  equally  with  the  vision. 
It  is  very  plain  that  they  require  to  be  explained  to- 
gether, as  the  dream  of  Nebuchadnezzar  and  its  inter- 
pretation. We  are  not  to  understand  that  the  whole  of 
this  wonderful  vision  has  a  limited  application  to  earthly 
kingdoms  which  have  long  since  passed  away.  A  king 
represents  some  true  or  false  principle,  and  a  kingdom 
the  government  of  that  principle  in  the  human  mind. 
"  The  ram,"  it  is  said,  "  which  thou  sawest  that  had 
the  two  horns,  they  are  the  Kings  of  Media  and  Persia. 
And  the  rough  he-goat  is  the  King  of  Greece."  This 
double  analogy  is  used  for  the  sake  of  bringing  the  spirit- 
ual meaning  into  a  lower  natural  form  of  representation. 
The  representative  forms  of  the  ram  and  the  he-goat 


'34 


I  111.  BOI  <K  <  IF  DANIEL 


were  appearances  in  the  spiritual  world;  but  the  king- 
doms of  Media  and  Persia  and  of  Greece  were  earthly 
kingdoms  in  which  the  spiritual  principles  represented 
by  the  ram  and  the  he-goal  were  somewhat  exhibited. 
But  it  is  not  to  these  kingdoms  that  the  higher  prophetic 
meaning  refers.  This  was  revealed  for  our  "  instruc- 
tion in  righteousness,"  to  make  known  the  state  of  the 
church,  and  not  the  facts  of  secular  history.  It  would 
be  very  difficult  to  show  how  the  Medo-Persian  and 
Grecian  kingdoms  fulfilled  the  words  of  this  prophecy. 
In  fact,  it  is  impossible.  And  what  shall  we  say  of  the 
four  kingdoms  that  shall  stand  up  out  of  the  nations,  and 
of  that  "king  of  fierce  countenance  and  understanding 
dark  sentences."  which  stands  for  the  "little  horn," 
which  we  have  seen  denotes  the  false  doctrine  of  justi- 
fication by  faith  alone,  which  is  full  of  dark  mysteries. 
It  is  written  in  verse  26  : 

And  the  vision  of  the  evenings  and  mornings  which  hath 
been  told  is  true  :  but  shut  thou  up  the  vision  ;  for  it  belongeth 
to  many  days  to  come. 

These  words  apply  to  the  certainty  of  the  fulfilment 
of  the  prophecy,  and  to  the  fact  that  its  meaning  would 
be  concealed  until  the  time  of  its  fulfilment  ;  that  is,  at 
the  end  of  the  church. 

Lastly,  it  is  said  : 

And  I,  Daniel,  fainted,  and  was  sick  certain  days ;  then  I 
rose  up,  and  did  the  king's  business  :  and  I  was  astonished  at 
the  vision,  but  none  understood  it  [or,  there  was  none  to  make 
it  understood]. 

This  fainting  and  sickness   represents   a   state  of   the 


TI1K  RAM  AND  THE  HE-GOAT  [35 

Christian  world  when  there  was  a  fainting  of  the  spirits 
of  men  and  sickness  of  the  soul  on  account  of  the  evils 
and  falsities  existing  in  the  world.  The  Lord  Himself 
passed  through  such  states  when  He  was  in  the  world, 
and  many  souls  have  fainted  and  become  sick  at  heart 
when  they  have  seen  and  felt  the  desolation  of  the 
sanctuary.  Nothing  but  a  life  of  active  usefulness  will 
restore  men  to  spiritual  health.  At  this  day  there  are 
many  in  such  states,  and  they  do  not  understand  the 
prophecies  and  promises  of  the  Word.  The  Bible  is  to 
many  a  closed  book.  "  None  understood  it."  But  after 
this  evening  state  the  morning  will  arise  and  the  vision 
will  be  understood.  The  Lord  reveals  at  His  Second 
Coming  the  spiritual  meaning  of  those  things  that  are 
"spoken  of  by  Daniel  the  prophet,"  both  as  to  the  con- 
summation of  the  old  dispensation  and  the  rising  or 
coming  in  of  the  new.  We  may  be,  like  Daniel,  aston- 
ished at  the  vision,  but  if  we  look  to  the  Lord  and  seek 
light  from  Him,  He  will  make  known  to  us  the  heavenly 
mysteries. 

And  the  glory  of  the  Lord  shall  be  revealed,  and  all  flesh 
shall  see  it  together  :  for  the  mouth  of  the  Lord  hath  spoken 
it.     (Is.  xl.  5.) 


I  jg  THE  BO  >K  OF    D  \\li:i 


CHAPTER    IX. 

In  the  first  year  of  Darius  the  son  of  Ahasuerus,  of  the 
seed  of  the  Medes,  which  was  made  king  over  the  realm  of 

2  the  Chaldeans  ;  in  the  first  year  of  his  reign  I  Daniel  under- 
stood by  the  books  the  number  of  the  years,  whereof  the 
word  of  the  Lord  came  to  Jeremiah  the  prophet,  for  the 
accomplishing  of  the  desolations  of  Jerusalem,  even  seventy 

3  years.  And  I  set  my  face  unto  the  Lord  God,  to  seek  by 
prayer  and  supplications,  with  fasting,  and  sackcloth,  and 

4  ashes.  And  I  prayed  unto  the  Lord  my  God,  and  made- 
confession,  and  said,  O  Lord,  the  great  and  dreadful  God, 
which  keepeth  covenant  and  mercy  with  them  that  love  him 

5  and  keep  his  commandments  ;  we  have  sinned,  and  have 
dealt  perversely,  and  have  done  wickedly,  and  have  rebelled, 
even  turning  aside  from   thy  precepts  and  from   thy  judge- 

6  ments  :  neither  have  we  hearkened  unto  thy  servants  the 
prophets,  which  spake  in  thy  name  to  our  kings,  our  princes, 

7  and  our  fathers,  and  to  all  the  people  of  the  land.  O  Lord, 
righteousness  belongeth  unto  thee,  but  unto  us  confusion  of 
face,  as  at  this  day;  to  the  men  of  Judah,  and  to  the  inhab- 
itants of  Jerusalem,  and  unto  all  Israel,  that  are  near,  and 
that  are  far  off,  through  all  the  countries  whither  thou  hast 
driven  them,  because  of  their  trespass  that  they  have  tres- 

8  passed  against  thee.  O  Lord,  to  us  belongeth  confusion  of 
face,  to  our  kings,  to  our  princes,  and  to  our  fathers,  because 

9  we  have  sinned  against  thee.  To  the  Lord  our  God  belong 
mercies  and   forgivenesses;    for  we   have  rebelled  against 

io  him  ;  neither  have  we  obeyed  the  voice  of  the  Lord  our 
( rod,  to  walk  in  his  laws,  which  he  set  before  us  by  his  ser- 

n  vants  the  prophets.  Yea,  all  Israel  have  transgressed  thy 
law,  even  turning  aside,  that  they  should  not  obey  thy  voice  : 
therefore  hath  the  curse  been  poured  out  upon  us.  and  the 


DANIEL'S   PRAYER  AND  THE  ANSWER  137 

oath  that  is  written  in  the  law  of  Moses  the  servant  of  God  ; 

12  for  we  have  sinned  against  him.  And  he  hath  confirmed 
his  words,  which  he  spake  against  us,  and  against  our  judges 
that  judged  us,  by  bringing  upon  us  a  great  evil :  for  under 
the  whole   heaven  hath  not  been  done  as  hath  been  done 

13  upon  Jerusalem.  As  it  is  written  in  the  law  of  Moses,  all 
this  evil  is  come  upon  us  :  yet  have  we  not  intreated  the 
favour  of  the  Lord  our  God,  that  we  should  turn  from   our 

14  iniquities,  and  have  discernment  in  thy  truth.  Therefore 
hath  the  Lord  watched  over  the  evil,  and  brought  it  upon 
us  :   for  the  Lord  our  God  is  righteous  in  all  his  works  which 

15  he  doeth,  and  we  have  not  obeyed  his  voice.  And  now,  O 
Lord  our  God,  that  hast  brought  thy  people  forth  out  of  the 
land  of  Egypt  with  a  mighty  hand,  and  hast  gotten  thee  re- 
nown, as  at  this  day  ;  we  have  sinned,  we  have  done  wick- 

16  edly.  O  Lord,  according  to  all  thy  righteousness,  let  thine 
anger  and  thy  fury,  I  pray  thee,  be  turned  away  from  thy 
city  Jerusalem,  thy  holy  mountain  :  because  for  our  sins, 
and  for  the  iniquities  of  our  fathers,  Jerusalem  and  thy 
people  are  become  a  reproach  to  all  that  are  round  about 

1  7  us/  Now,  therefore,  O  our  God,  hearken  unto  the  prayer 
of  thy  servant,  and  to  his  supplications,  and  cause  thy  face 
to  shine  upon  thy  sanctuary  that  is  desolate,  for  the  Lord's 

18  sake.  O  my  God,  incline  thine  ear,  and  hear;  open  thine 
eyes,  and  behold  our  desolations,  and  the  city  which  is  called 
by  thy  name  :  for  we  do  not  present  our  supplications  before 

19  thee  for  our  righteousnesses,  but  for  thy  great  mercies.  O 
Lord,  hear ;  O  Lord,  forgive  ;  O  Lord,  hearken  and  do  ; 
defer  not ;  for  thine  own  sake,  O  my  God,  because  thy  city 
and  thy  people  are  called  by  thy  name. 

20  And  whiles  I  was  speaking,  and  praying,  and  confessing 
my  sin  and  the  sin  of  my  people  Israel,  and  presenting  my 
supplication  before  the  Lord  my  God  for  the  holy  mountain 


I  38  THE  li<  >OK  (  >F  DANIEL 

21  of  my  (lod  ;  yea.  whiles  1  was  speaking  in  prayer,  the  man 
Gabriel,  whom  I  had  seen  in  the  vision  at  the  beginning, 
being  caused  to  fly  swiftly,  touched  me  about  the  time  of 

22  the  evening  oblation.  And  he  instructed  me.  and  talked 
with  me,  and  said,  ()  Daniel,  I  am  now  come  forth  to  make 

23  thee  skilful  of  understanding.  At  the  beginning  of  thy  sup- 
plications the  commandment  went  forth,  and  I  am  come  to 
tell  thee  ;  for  thou  art  greatly  beloved  :   therefore  consider 

24  the  matter,  and  understand  the  vision.  Seventy  weeks  are 
decreed  upon  thy  people  and  upon  thy  holy  city,  to  finish 
transgression,  and  to  make  an  end  of  sins,  and  to  make 
reconciliation  for  iniquity,  and  to  bring  in  everlasting  right- 
eousness, and  to  seal  up  vision  and  prophecy,  and  to  anoint 

25  the  most  holy.  Know  therefore  and  discern,  that  from  the 
going  forth  of  the  commandment  to  restore  and  to  build 
Jerusalem  unto  the  anointed  one,  the  prince,  shall  be  seven 
weeks  :  and  threescore  ami  two  weeks,  it  shall  be  built  again. 

26  with  street  and  moat,  even  in  troublous  times.  And  after 
the  threescore  and  two  weeks  shall  the  anointed  one  be  cut 
off,  and  shall  have  nothing  :  and  the  people  of  the  prince 
that  shall  come  shall  destroy  the  city  and  the  sanctuary  :  and 
his  end  shall  be  with  a  flood,  and  even  unto  the  end  shall  be 

27  war  ;  desolations  are  determined.  And  he  shall  make  a  firm 
covenant  with  many  for  one  week  :  and  for  the  half  of  the 
week  he  shall  cause  the  sacrifice  and  the  oblation  to  cease  ; 
and  upon  the  wing  of  abominations  s//<i//  come  one  that 
maketh  desolate  ;  and  even  unto  the  consummation,  and 
that  determined,  shall  tvrath  be  poured  out  upon  the  deso- 
lator. 


DANIEL'S  PRAYER  AND  TMK  ANSWER 


'39 


REFERENCES. 

Verses.  Numbers. 

i-3 P.P- 

2,  13,  14,  20 Diet.  P.  12 

2,  25-27 Diet.  P.  12 

3 A.  R.  492;   A.  E.  637 

3,4,  7-9,  16-19 Diet.  P.  12 

4-19 P.  P. 

10 A.  R.  3;   A.  E.  409 

11,13 A.  C.  6752;   A.  R.  662;   A.  E.  937 

16 A.  E.  405 

17 AC.  5585,  9306 

18 A.  C.  3869 

20 A.  E.  405 

20-23 P.  P. 

21  ...       D.  Lord  52;   D.  P.  134;   A.  R.  36,  945;   T.  C.  R.  157 

24     A.  C.  1857,2025,9680,9715,  9954,  10129;    D.  P.   134;   A.  R.   779; 

A.  E.  204,  375,  624;   P.  P. 

24,  25 A.  C.  395,  728,  6508;   D.  Lord  6 

24-27 D.  P.  328;   A.  E.  684 

24  to  end A.  C.  411 

24,  27 A.  C.  4535,  10497,  10622 

25  A.  ('.  2336,  6508,  9228,  9954;    D.  Lord  64;   A.  R.  501,  880;    B.  E.  100; 

T.  C.  R.  782;   A.  E.  375,  652;    P.  P.;   Diet.  P.  12 

26  ...    A.  C.  622;    A.  E.  315;   Coronis  34;    P.  P.;    Diet.  P.  13 
26,  27 A.  E.  83 

27  A.  C.  988,   1857,  2180,  5376,   10042;    A.  R.  658,  757;    B.  E.    100; 
T.  C.  R.  179,  181,  378,  755,  758,  761,  782;    A.  E.  397,   1045,   1 100; 

P.  P.;    Diet.  P.  13 
Chapter  cited        .         H.  &  H.  171 ;   C.  L.  26;  T.  C.  R.  851 ;    Ath.  Cd.  41 


j^O  THE   Bl  K  >K   I  »l     DANIEL 

COMMENTARY. 

daniel's  prayer  and  the  divine  answer. 

In  the  explanation  given  of  chapter  six.  we  considered 
the  questions  in  regard  to  Darius,  who  he  was  and  what 
place  he  had  in  the  history  of  those  times.  He  is  men- 
tioned again  at  the  opening  of  this  chapter  and  also  at 
the  beginning  of  chapter  eleven.  Nothing  need  be 
added  here  respecting-  him. 

The  closing  of  Daniel's  vision  recorded  in  chapter 
eight  left  him  in  a  state  of  grief  and  sickness.  He  felt 
the  desolation  that  had  come  upon  the  Jewish  Church 
and  nation,  and  that  would  come  upon  the  whole  church 
of  the  future,  and  no  doubt  reflected  deeply  upon  the 
vision  he  had  seen.  As  one  of  those  who  had  been 
carried  into  captivity,  he  knew  what  trials  and  sufferings 
had  come  upon  his  people  in  consequence  of  their  own 
violations  of  the  Divine  commandments.  These  out- 
ward trials  and  sufferings  were  not  only  known  to  him 
but  to  Jeremiah  the  prophet  ;  and  to  the  latter  it  was 
revealed  how  long  the  Babylonish  captivity  would  con- 
tinue. This  ninth  chapter  of  the  book  of  Daniel  begins 
with  these  words  : 

In  the  first  year  of  Darius,  the  son  of  Ahasuerus,  of  the  seed 
of  the  Medes,  which  was  made  king  over  the  realm  of  the 
Chaldeans  ;  in  the  first  year  of  his  reign,  I,  Daniel,  understood 
by  the  books  the  number  of  the  years  whereof  the  Word  of  the 
Lord  came  to  Jeremiah,  the  prophet,  for  the  accomplishing  of 
the  desolations  of  Jerusalem,  even  seventy  years.     (Ver.  i,  2.) 

The  period  of  the  duration  of  the  captivity  was  made 


DANIEL'S  PRAYER  AND  THE  ANSWER 


141 


known  to  Daniel,  not  by  a  vision  or  a  special  revelation, 
but  by  the  prophecy  already  declared  by  Jeremiah,  which 
is  recorded  in  the  twenty-fifth  chapter  of  that  prophecy, 
verse  1 1  : 

And  this  whole  land  shall  be  a  desolation,  and  an  astonish- 
ment ;  and  these  nations  shall  serve  the  King  of  Babylon 
seventy  years. 

And  in  chapter  twenty-nine,  verse  10,  of  the  same 
prophecy,  we  read  : 

For  thus  saith  the  Lord,  That  after  seventy  years  be  accom- 
plished for  Babylon  I  will  visit  you.  and  perform  my  good  word 
toward  you,  in  causing  you  to  return  to  this  place. 

It  would  appear  that  the  manuscript  rolls  on  which 
Jeremiah  had  written  these  things  were  known  to  Daniel 
and  had  been  read  by  him  as  he  says  : 

I,  Daniel,  understood  by  the  books  the  number  of  the  years 
whereof  the  Word  of  the  Lord  came  to  Jeremiah  the  prophet. 

This  may  be  thought  to  be  doubtful,  unless  we  be- 
lieve that  these  manuscript  rolls,  or  some  of  them,  were 
carried  to  Babylon  from  Jerusalem,  and  there  seems  to 
be  good  ground  for  believing  this.  We  are  told  that 
Jeremiah  commanded  Seraiah  to  read  all  the  words  he 
had  written,  when  Seraiah  and  the  other  captives  should 
come  to  Babylon.  (See  Jer.  li.  59-64.)  We  have  no 
reason  to  doubt,  however,  that  the  period  of  the  captiv- 
ity was  made  known  to  the  writer  of  the  book  in  some 
way,  and  also  the  fact  that  the  Lord  would  afterwards 
through  Zerubbabel  restore  Jerusalem  and  rebuild  the 
Temple. 

Seventy  years  denotes  a  full  period  of  profane  wor- 


'4- 


llli;  B<  h)K  i  >|-    DANIEJ 


ship,  the  vastation  of  the  church  and  its  consummation, 
thus  it  applies  to  the  consummation  of  both  the  Jewish 
Church  and  the  Christian  Church.  We  have  noted  fre- 
quently the  difficulty  of  applying  the  times  mentioned 
in  the  Word  to  natural  times,  or  the  duration  of  earthly 
things.  The  same  may  be  said  in  reference  to  the 
numbers  seven  and  seventy.  The  effort  to  explain  this 
book  of  Daniel  literally  has  given  rise  to  great  confusion 
and  error.  As  for  instance  what  is  said  in  verse  twenty- 
five  : 

Know  therefore  and  discern,  that  from  the  going  forth  of 
the  commandment  to  restore  and  build  Jerusalem,  unto  the 
Anointed  One,  the  Prince,  shall  be  seven  weeks  :  and  three- 
score and  two  weeks,  it  shall  be  built  again,  with  street  and 
moat,  even  in  troublous  times.     (Ver.  25.) 

Now  the  words  "three  score  and  two  weeks"  cannot 
be  correctly  applied  to  the  time  intervening  between  the 
restoration  or  rebuilding  of  Jerusalem  and  its  Temple 
under  the  decree  of  Cyrus,  and  the  coming  of  Messiah, 
who  was  the  Lord,  on  earth.  If  we  suppose,  as  some 
commentators  have  done,  that  the  word  "  weeks,"  in  this 
passage,  means  weeks  of  years  or  four  hundred  and 
thirty-four  years,  we  are  still  in  difficulty. 

It  may  be  asked  if  we  interpret  the  numbers  in  one 
passage  with  reference  to  natural  time,  as  the  seventy 
years  of  captivity  in  Babylon,  why  not  in  the  other  pas- 
sages ?  Ought  not  the  rule  of  interpretation  to  be  uni- 
form? The  answer  will  now  be  given.  The  seventy 
years  of  captivity  had  an  actual  ami  literal  fulfilment 
in  the  history  of  the  Jewish  Church  and  people.  The 
captivity  lasted  that  period,  and  the  end  of  it  was  near 


DANIEL'S  PRAYER  AND  THE  ANSWER  143 

at  hand  when   Daniel  referred  to  Jeremiah's  prophecy. 
This  period  was  also  representative  of  the  complete  state 
of  profane  worship   in    which   the   Jewish    Church   had 
sunk      The  numbers  seven  and  seventy  in  a  good  sense 
denote  what  is  holy,  and  in  the  opposite  sense  what  is 
profane.     But  this  prophecy  of  Daniel  extended  beyond 
the  period  of  the  captivity,  not  only  to  the  coming  of 
Messiah  or  the  Lord  at  the  end  of  the  Jewish   Church, 
when  all  the  Jewish  representatives  ceased,  but  even  to 
the  Second  Coming  of  the  Lord  and  the  consummation 
of  the  first  Christian  Church.      Indeed  in  its  universal 
spiritual  meaning,  it  refers  to  the  desolation   that  comes 
upon   every  member  of  the  church  when  he  is  carried 
away  into  captivity  by  the  love  of  dominion,  which  ori- 
ginates in  the  love  of  self.     The   Lord  then  judges  his 
life  as  He  judges  the  evil  state  of  the  whole  church  in 

every  age.  .  ,     , 

In  this  broad  and  universal  application  of  the  Word  of 
prophecy  to  the  state  of  the  church  in  general  and  par- 
ticular, we  may  see  that  natural  times  have  only  a  corre- 
spondent^ meaning,  and  are  not  to  be  considered  in 
any  other  way  when  we  are  interpreting  the  Word  ot 
the  I  orcl  Even  the  seventy  years  of  captivity  which 
comprised  an  actual  historical  period  are  of  little  moment 
to  us,  only  as  they  represent  a  state  of  complete  vasta- 

tl0This  idea  may  be  still  more  clearly  seen  in  the  book 
of  Revelation,  the  Apocalyptic  book,  which  treats  in  its 
spiritual  sense  of  the  end  or  consummation  of  the  first 
Christian  Church,  the  Second  Coming  of  the  Lord,  and 
the  establishment  of  the  New  Jerusalem.     We  read  in  it 


144 


I  ill.   Bl  »QK  OJ   DANIEL 


that  the  number  of  those  who  were  sealed  was  144,000; 
that  the  number  of  the  beast  was  666,  "the  number  of 
a  man  "  ;  that  the  two  witnesses  should  prophesy  1,260 
days,  and  that  afterwards  their  dead  bodies  should  lie 
three  and  a  half  clays  "in  the  street  of  the  great  city, 
which  spiritually  is  called  Sodom  and  Egypt."  Without 
a  spiritual  signification  for  these  numbers,  they  have  no 
meaning  for  us  —  we  cannot  understand  them.  But  let 
us  return  to  Daniel. 

We  find  a  change  now  in  the  narrative.  After  real- 
izing the  desolation  of  his  people  and  their  sin,  he  sets 
his  face  towards  the  Lord  in  prayer  as  he  had  done  be- 
fore, with  his  face  towards  Jerusalem.     (Chap.  vi.  10.) 

This  prayer  of  Daniel  is  full  of  the  spirit  of  humility 
and  repentance.  As  he  felt  the  sin  of  Judah  and  Jeru- 
salem he  made  supplication  to  the  Lord  for  forgiveness. 
He  prayed  not  for  himself  but  for  his  people,  for  the 
restoration  of  Israel.  He  stands  not  merely  as  the  rep- 
resentative of  his  people  in  this  attitude  of  prayer  and 
supplication,  but  of  every  devout  and  penitent  soul  who 
sees  the  sin  of  his  own  life  and  seeks,  by  prayer  to  the 
Lord,  for  power  to  overcome.  At  the  end  of  every 
church  there  are  a  few  left  who  still  retain  some  faith  in 
the  Lord,  and  in  states  of  innocence  turn  to  Him  for 
salvation. 

In  a  still  higher  sense,  Daniel  here  represents  the 
Lord  who  wept  over  Jerusalem  and  prayed  to  the  Father 
for  the  redemption  of  His  people. 

This  prayer  of  Daniel  from  beginning  to  end  is  a  con- 
fession of  sin.  and  may  serve  as  a  model  for  all  prayer  ; 
for  in  its  spiritual  sense  it  contains  a  full  acknowledg- 
ment of  the  cause  of  evil  and  sin,  that   is,  disobedience 


DANIEL'S  PRAYER  AND  THE  ANSWER  145 

to  the  Divine  law,  and  supplication  that  the  power  of 
the  Lord  may  remove  the  evil  or  overcome  its  influence. 
In  the  mere  letter  there  is  the  appearance  of  a  visitation 
of  the  Divine  vengeance  —  a  punishment  inflicted  by 
the  Lord. 

Yea,  all  Israel  have  transgressed  Thy  law,  even  turning  aside, 
that  they  should  not  obey  Thy  voice  :  therefore  hath  the  curse 
been  poured  out  upon  us,  and  the  oath  that  is  written  in  the 
law  of  Moses,  the  servant  of  God,  for  we  have  sinned  against 
Him.      (Ver.  n.) 

And  again  : 

Therefore  hath  the  Lord  watched  over  the  evil  and  brought 
it  upon  us.      (Ver.  14.) 

It  must  have  appeared  to  Daniel,  as  it  did  to  all  the 
Jews,  that  the  Lord  inflicted  punishment  and  suffering 
upon  them  because  of  their  transgression  and  their  sin, 
but  in  reality  evil  punishes  itself  ;  the  Lord  casts  no  one 
into  hell,  and  He  is  ever  ready  to  forgive.  Yet  it  must 
appear  to  the  natural  mind  that  the  Lord  inflicts  the 
punishment.  A  confession  of  sin  is  necessary  on  man's 
part  that  the  door  may  be  opened  for  the  Lord  to  enter 
in,  so  that  man  may  feel  that  He  is  mercy  itself. 

There  was  no  spiritual  change  in  the  Jewish  people  as 
a  church.  Its  worship  was  restored,  but  it  never  became 
a  true  church.  It  was  only  held  back,  as  it  were,  and 
prevented  from  sinking  into  deeper  evil,  until  the  Lord 
came  to  judge  it.  All  this  was  for  the  Divine  end  of 
the  future  salvation  of  the  human  race..  The  Jewish 
Church  was  restored  and  preserved  on  the  earth,  so  that 
the  knowledge  of  a  Divine  Being  might  not  be  lost. 
This  was  done  through  the  written  Word,  in  the  histories 


14^ 


I  III'.   Bl  II  >K   <  >!■    DANIEL 


and  prophecies  ot  which  He  is  constantly  spoken  of, 
and  the  promise  is  given  that  He  will  come  to  rebuild 
the  temple  of  humanity. 

Now,  beginning  with  the  twentieth  verse  of  this 
chapter,  to  the  end  of  it,  the  answer  is  given  to  Daniel's 
prayer.     He  says  : 

And  whiles  I  was  speaking,  and  praying,  and  confessing  my 
sin  and  the  sin  of  my  people  Israel,  and  presenting  my  suppli- 
cation before  the  Lord  my  God  for  the  holy  mountain  of  my 
(iod  ;  yea,  whiles  I  was  speaking  in  prayer,  even  the  man 
Gabriel,  whom  L  had  seen  in  the  vision  at  the  beginning,  being 
caused  to  fly  swiftly,  touched  me  about  the  time  of  the  evening 
oblation.     (  Ver.  20,  21.) 

The  angel  Gabriel,  as  we  have  before  explained,  stands 
for  a  heavenly  society  with  which  Daniel  was  in  com- 
munication, and  this  heavenly  society  which  Gabriel 
represented  was  in  the  love  of  making  known  the  truth 
respecting  the  Lord's  coming.  Gabriel  is  said  to  "  My 
swiftly,"  to  denote  the  lively  affection  and  desire  of  the 
angels  that  man  should  know  the  Lord  in  His  Divine 
Humanity.  He  appeared  to  Daniel  about  the  time  of 
the  evening  oblation  and  touched  him,  to  denote  the 
communication  of  heaven  with  man  even  at  the  last 
time  of  the  church,  when  his  mind  is  turned  to  the 
Lord  in  holy  worship. 

Daniel  said  : 

And  he  instructed  me  and  talked  with  me  and  said.  ()  Daniel. 
I  am  now  come  forth  to  make  thee  skilful  of  understanding. 
(  Ver.  22.) 

What  was  revealed  to  Daniel  contained  in  its  deeper 
sense  the  wisdom  of  the  Lord  concerning   His  coming 


DANIEL'S   PRAYER  AND  THE  ANSWER  147 

to  save  the  human  race.  This  wisdom  was  concealed 
under  the  letter  of  the  words  which  were  spoken  to 
Daniel.  He  saw  only  their  natural  meaning,  which  re- 
lated to  the  restoration  of  the  city  of  Jerusalem  and 
rebuilding  of  the  temple  on  the  "  holy  mountain,"  for 
which  he  prayed  ;  but  in  the  heavenly  meaning,  which 
was  known  to  the  heavenly  society  with  which  he  was 
in  communication,  this  promise  given  in  answer  to  prayer 
refers  to  every  state  of  the  church  of  the  future  and  of 
the  individual  man,  in  which  the  Lord  comes  to  enlighten 
and  to  save.  It  contains  the  Lord's  answer  to  every 
prayer  —  the  coming  of  the  Lord,  after  every  period  of 
darkness  and  desolation,  to  restore  and  renew  and  re- 
build the  temple  of  humanity.  And  Daniel,  to  whom 
the  answer  is  given,  represents  those  who  are  in  the 
sincere  desire  or  love  of  the  truth  for  its  own  sake  and 
for  the  sake  of  amendment  of  life.  Spiritual  enlighten- 
ment is  given  to  those  who  thus  "  seek  the  Lord  while 
He  may  be  found."  Further  the  angel  said  to  Daniel, 
that  is,  communication  was  given  by  an  internal  way, 
and  at  the  same  time  Daniel  heard  an  audible  voice, 
saying  : 

At  the  beginning  of  thy  supplications  the  commandment 
went  forth,  and  I  am  come  to  tell  thee  ;  for  thou  art  greatly 
beloved  ;  therefore  consider  the  matter,  and  understand  the 
vision.     (Ver.  23.) 

As  soon  as  man  puts  himself  in  the  mental  attitude 
of  prayer,  that  is,  when  he  turns  his  thoughts  and  affec- 
tions to  the  Lord,  influx  is  determined  into  his  mind 
and  he  begins  to  see  the  truth  and  to  feel  the  influence 
of    the    Divine    Love.     By    "  the    commandment    went 


1 4S 


I  III    B<  »<  »K  (  il    DANIEL 


forth  "  is  meant  that  the  Word  of  Divine  Truth  began 
to  be  opened  so  that  its  influence  could  be  received. 
This  is  the  effect  of  prayer.  The  degree  to  which  man 
is  enlightened  and  elevated  must  depend  upon  his  pre- 
vious states  of  instruction  and  regeneration,  but  every 
one  who,  in  a  state  of  innocence,  looks  to  the  Lord,  re- 
ceives light  and  guidance  from  Him. 

The  remaining  verses,  from  the  twenty-fourth  to  the 
twenty-seventh,  we  have  already  partly  explained.  In 
their  lowest  natural  sense  they  have  reference  to  the  re- 
turn from  the  captivity,  the  rebuilding  of  the  city  and 
temple,  and  afterwards  to  the  coming  of  the  Messiah 
and  the  judgment  upon  the  Jewish  Church.  But  the 
Jewish  Church  came  to  an  end  when  the  Lord  came  into 
the  world.  Then  followed  the  first  Christian  Church. 
This  also  came  to  an  end  and  was  judged,  as  appears 
from  the  twenty-fourth  chapter  of  Matthew  and  the 
Apocalypse.  The  Lord  suffered  the  Jewish  Church  to 
remain  until  His  coming,  le*st  those  who  were  in  simple 
good  should  be  destroyed  with  those  who  were  only  in 
external  or  seeming  good.  So  it  was  at  the  end  of  the 
first  Christian  Church.  This  continuance  is  meant  in 
the  Gospel  by  suffering  the  tares  and  the  wheat  to  "  grow 
together  until  the  harvest."  The  evil  must  come  to  the 
full  before  the  judgment  is  effected  and  a  New  Church 
is  established.  The  establishment  of  a  New  Church  is 
meant  by  the  rebuilding  of  Jerusalem.  The  decline  of 
every  church  is  caused  by  the  loss  of  charity  which  is 
followed  by  the  loss  of  true  faith  in  the  Lord.  By  the 
flood  in  the  twenty-sixth  verse  is  meant  the  breaking  up 
of  the  church  by  false  persuasions.     "The  Anointed  One 


DANIEL'S   PRAYER  AND  THE  ANSWER 


'49 


shall  be  cut  off,"  that  is  as  the  Lord  was  crucified  by  the 
Jews  so  will  all  love  to  Him  and  faith  in  Him  be  extin- 
guished.     In  the  twenty-seventh  verse  we  read  : 

And  He  shall  make  a  firm  covenant  with  many  for  one  week  ; 
and  for  the  half  of  the  week,  He  shall  cause  the  sacrifice  and 
the  oblation  to  cease  ;  and  upon  the  wing  of  abominations  shall 
come  one  that  maketh  desolate,  and  even  unto  the  consumma- 
tion, and  that  determined,  shall  wrath  be  poured  out  upon  the 
desolate. 

This  is  the  conclusion  of  the  Divine  message  given  to 
Daniel  by  the  angel.  It  is  a  prophecy  of  the  end  of  the 
church  when  "iniquity  shall  abound  and  the  love  of 
many  shall  wax  cold." 

It  is  often  supposed  by  Protestants  that  the  period  of 
the  Reformation  was  the  beginning  of  a  new  era  in  the 
Christian  Church.  So  it  was.  But  this  era  did  not  re- 
store the  primitive  faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  nor 
bring  peace  and  harmony  into  the  world.  It  prevented 
the  further  increase  of  the  Papal  Dominion  and  opened 
the  Bible  in  some  lands  to  the  common  people.  The 
Word,  however,  was  not  understood,  false  doctrines  were 
drawn  from  it,  and  the  Dragon  cast  a  flood  of  waters  over 
the  earth.  This  short  period  of  comparative  purity  and 
agreement  with  the  truth  was  ended  in  the  middle  of 
the  eighteenth  century.  This  is  predicted  in  these 
words :  "  And  He  shall  make  a  firm  covenant  with  many 
for  one  week."  This  is  foretold  also  in  the  Apocalypse 
where  the  Roman  Catholic  and  Reformed  Churches  are 
treated  of  with  respect  to  their  faith  and  worship.  "  For 
the  half  of  the  week,"  or  "in  the  midst  of  the  week," 
we  are  told,  here  in  Daniel,  "  He  shall  cause  the  sacrifice 


I  30  ["HE  B(  K  >K  01    DANIE1 

and  oblation  to  cease;"  that  is,  the  genuine  worship  of 
the  Lord  as  the  God  of  heaven  and  earth  from  true 
faith  in  Him  and  genuine  love  to  Him  came  to  an  end. 
Lastly,  it  is  written,  "and  for  the  overspreading  of 
abominations,  lie  shall  make  it  desolate,  even  until  the 
consummation,  and  that  determined,  wrath  shall  be 
poured  upon  the  desolate." 

In  the  Revised  Version  the  "  overspreading  of  abom- 
inations "  is  translated  the  "wing  of  abomination." 
Swedenborg  translates  it  according  to  Schmidius,  "  upon 
the  bird  of  abominations.''  The  idea  is  that  by  mere 
reasonings  and  intellectual  flights  the  men  of  the  Re- 
formed Churches  brought  in  the  doctrine  of  salvation 
by  faith  alone.  This  is  the  bird  of  abomination  which 
brought  desolation  upon  the  church. 

"Even  to  the  consummation  "  signifies  the  last  state 
of  the  church,  where  there  will  no  longer  be  any  truth 
or  good  remaining.  Then  the  Last  Judgment  was  exe- 
cuted in  the  world  of  spirits  and  a  way  was  opened  for 
the  Lord's  Second  Coming  in  the  spirit  and  power  of 
Mis  Word,  by  which  a  new  church  will  be  established  in 
which  the  Lord  alone  will  be  worshipped. 

That  the  consummation  of  the  church  at  the  time  of 
the  Last  Judgment  is  thus  predicted  by  the  prophet 
Daniel  appears  from  the  Lord's  words  in  the  Gospel  of 
Matthew,  chapter  twenty-four  : 

When  ye,  therefore,  shall  see  the  abomination  of  desolation, 
spoken  of  by  Daniel  the  prophet,  stand  in  the  holy  place  (whoso 
readeth,  let  him  understand),  then  let  them  which  be  in  Judea 
flee  into  the  mountains:  let  him  which  is  on  the  housetop  not 
come  down  to  take  anything  out  of  his  house  :  neither  let  him 
which  is  in  the  field  return  hack  to  take  his  clothes. 


THE  VISION   BY  THE  RIVER   HIDDEKEL  151 


CHAPTER   X. 

In  the  third  year  of  Cyrus  king  of  Persia  a  thing  was  re- 
vealed unto  Daniel,  whose  name  was  called  Belteshazzar  ; 
and  the  thing  was  true,  even  a  great  warfare  :  and  he  under- 

2  stood  the  thing,  and  had  understanding  of  the  vision.     In 

3  those  days  I  Daniel  was  mourning  three  whole  weeks.  I 
ate  no  pleasant  bread,  neither  came  flesh  nor  wine  in  my 
mouth,  neither  did   I  anoint  myself  at  all,  till  three  whole 

4  weeks  were  fulfilled.  And  in  the  four  and  twentieth  day  of 
the  first  month,  as  I  was  by  the  side  of  the  great  river,  which 

5  is  Hiddekel,  I  lifted  up  mine  eyes,  and  looked,  and  be- 
hold a  man  clothed  in  linen,  whose  loins  were  girded  with 

6  pure  gold  of  Uphaz  :  his  body  also  was  like  the  beryl, 
and  his  face  as  the  appearance  of  lightning,  and  his  eyes 
as  lamps  of  fire,  and  his  arms  and  his  feet  like  in  color 
to   burnished    brass,   and  the   voice   of   his  words  like    the 

7  voice  of  a  multitude.  And  I  Daniel  alone  saw  the  vision  : 
for  the  men  that  were  with  me  saw  not  the  vision  ;  but  a 
great  quaking  fell  upon  them,  and  they  fled  to  hide  them- 

8  selves.  So  I  was  left  alone,  and  saw  this  great  vision,  and 
there  remained  no  strength  in  me  :  for  my  comeliness  was 
turned  in  me  into  corruption,  and  I  retained  no  strength. 

9  Yet  heard  I  the  voice  of  his  words  :  and  when  I  heard  the 
voice  of  his  words,  then  I  was  fallen  into  a  deep  sleep  on 

10  my  face,  with  my  face  toward  the  ground.  And,  behold,  a 
hand  touched  me,  which  set  me  upon  my  knees  and  upon 

11  the  palms  of  my  hands.  And  he  said  unto  me,  O  Daniel, 
thou  man  greatly  beloved,  understand  the  words  that  I  speak 
unto  thee,  and  stand  upright ;  for  unto  thee  am  I  now  sent  : 
and  when  he  had  spoken  this  word  unto  me,  I  stood  trem- 

1 2  bling.  Then  said  he  unto  me,  Fear  not,  Daniel ;  for  from 
the  first  day  that  thou  didst  set  thine  heart  to  understand. 


152 


THE  BOOK  OF  DAM  I  1 


and  to  humble  thyself  before  thy  God,  thy  words  were  heard  : 

13  and  I  am  come  for  thy  words'  sake.  But  the  prince  of  the 
kingdom  of  Persia  withstood  me  one  and  twenty  days  ;  but, 
lo,  Michael,  one  of  the   chief  princes,  came  to  help  me  : 

14  and  I  remained  there  with  the  kings  of  Persia.  Now  I  am 
come  to  make  thee  understand  what  shall  befall  thy  people 

15  in  the  latter  days  :  for  the  vision  is  yet  for  many  days.  And 
when   he  had  spoken   unto  me  according  to  these  words.  1 

16  set  my  face  toward  the  ground,  and  was  dumb.  And,  be- 
hold, one  like  the  similitude  of  the  sons  of  men  touched  my 
lips  :  then  I  opened  my  mouth,  and  spake  and  said  unto 
him  that  stood  before  me,  O  my  lord,  by  reason  of  the  vision 
my  sorrows  are  turned  upon  me,  and  I  retain  no  strength. 

1  7  For  how  can  the  servant  of  this  my  lord  talk  with  this  my 
lord?  for  as  for  me,  straightway  there  remained  no  strength 

18  in  me,  neither  was  there  breath  left  in  me.  Then  there 
touched  me  again  one  like  the  appearance  of  a  man,  and 

19  he  strengthened  me.  And  he  said,  0  man  greatly  beloved, 
fear  not:  peace  be  unto  thee,  be  strong,  yea,  be  strong. 
And  when  he  spake  unto  me,  I  was  strengthened,  and  said, 

jo  Let  my  lord  speak;  for  thou  hast  strengthened  me.  Then 
said  he.  Knowest  thou  wherefore  T  am  come  unto  thee?  and 
now  will   I   return  to   fight  with  the   Prince  of  Persia:  and 

21  when  I  go  forth,  lo,  the  prince  of  Greece  shall  come.  Put 
I  will  tell  thee  that  which  is  inscribed  in  the  writing  of  truth  : 
and  there  is  none  that  holdeth  with  me  against  these,  but 
Michael  your  prince. 


THE  VISION   BY  THE  RIVER  HIDDEKEL 


REFERENCES. 


*5$ 


Verses.  Numbers. 

1-6 P.  P 

1,  7,  8    .        .        .      D.  Lord,  52;   D.  P.  134;   A.  R.  36,  945;   T.  C.  R.  157 

2,  3 A.  C.  2788 

2-4 A.  R.  505;   A.  E.  532 

3 A.  C.  9954;   A.  E.  375 

4  and  following A.  E.  79 

5 A.  C.  7601,  9881 ;   A.  R.  671;   A.  E.  951 

5,  6       A.  C.  425,  2162,  3021,  6135,  8813,  9406,  9872;   A.  R.  49,  468,  775; 

A.  E.  69,  504;   Diet.  P.  50 

5-12 .        .        .  A.  R.  56;   A.  E.  77 

6 A.  R.  830 

7-21 P.  P. 

10-12 A.  C.  5376 

10,  16,  18 A.  C.  10130 

12,  19 A.  E.  80 

13,  21 A.  C.  1664;   A.  R.  548 

14 Diet.  P.  13 

14,  15 D.  Lord,  4 

20 A.  R.  34;   A.  E.  50 

Chapter  cited A.  C.  1664;    H.  &  H.  1 71 


I  c  i  THE  BOOK  I  >!•   DANIEL 


COMMEN  I  \k\. 

THE    VISION    BY    THE    RIVER   HIDDEKEL, A   MAN  CLOTHED 

IX    LINEN, 

A  new  revelation  is  made  to  Daniel  ;  the  captivity  is 
nearly  ended,  and  it  is  revealed  to  Daniel,  after  he  has 
passed  through  a  period  of  mourning  and  fasting,  "what 
should  befall  his  people  in  the  latter  days." 
The  chapter  opens  with  this  statement  : 
In  the  third  year  of  Cyrus.  King  of  Persia,  a  thing  was  re- 
vealed unto  Daniel,  whose  name  was  called  Pieltesha/.xar  ;  and 
the  thing  was  true,  even  a  great  warfare  :  and  he  understood 
the  thing  and  had  understanding  of  the  vision. 

Daniel  is  again  called  by  the  name  that  was  given  to 
him  at  first  by  the  prince  of  the  eunuchs  (chap  i.). 

The  vision  now  recorded  is  said  to  have  been  given  in 
the  third  year  of  Cyrus,  King  of  Persia.  Cyrus  was  the 
deliverer  of  the  Jewish  people.  He  was  a  great  con- 
queror, first  overcoming  the  Kingdom  of  Media,  and 
uniting  it  with  that  of  Persia,  and  then  subduing  and 
bringing  under  his  dominion  several  other  nations  of 
Eastern  Asia,  including  Babylonia,  and  at  the  same  time 
breaking  up  the  old  religious  customs.  Nearly  all  Asia 
was  thus  subdued.  Afterwards  his  son  Cambyses  con- 
quered Egyptj  which  then  became  tributary  to  Persia, 
so  that  the  latter  became  the  most  powerful  kingdom  of 
the  East.  There  is  much  obscurity  about  the  origin 
and  history  of  Cyrus,  but  no  doubt  of  the  main  facts 
above  stated.  In  his  character  of  deliverer  of  the  Jewish 
people  from  their  captivity  to  Babylon,  he  represents  the 


THE  VISION   BY  THE  RIVER   1 1 1 1  »I  li'.kl-'.l  155 

Lord.  The  return  from  the  captivity  was  not  only  per- 
mitted by  him,  but  commanded  by  an  edict.  (See  Ezra 
i.  1-4.)  This  was  done  as  some  have  supposed  in  rec- 
ognition of  the  services  rendered  to  him  by  the  Jews, 
and  also  that  Palestine  might  serve  to  protect  his  terri- 
tory on  the  West.  The  Jews  hailed  him  as  their  deliv- 
erer when  he  entered  Babylon. 

The  return  of  the  Jews  to  Jerusalem  was  carried  out 
by  Zerubbabel  and  Joshua,  the  son  of  Josedeeh. 

Cyrus  is  mentioned  in  Is.v.  xliv.  28  and  xlv.  1-3  : 

That  saith  to  Cyrus,  He  is  my  shepherd  and  shall  perform  all 
my  pleasure  :  even  saying  of  Jerusalem,  She  shall  be  built,  and 
to  the  temple,  Thy  foundation  shall  be  laid. 

Thus  saith  Jehovah  to  His  anointed,  to  Cyrus,  whose  right 
hand  I  have  holden,  to  subdue  nations  before  him  ;  and  I  will 
loose  the  loins  of  kings  ;  to  open  the  doors  before  him  and  the 
gates  shall  not  be  shut ;  I  will  go  before  thee  and  make  the 
rugged  places  plain  ;  I  will  break  in  pieces  the  doors  of  brass, 
and  cut  in  sunder  the  bars  of  iron  :  and  I  will  give  thee  the 
treasures  of  darkness,  and  hidden  riches  of  secret  places,  that 
thou  mayest  know  that  I  am  the  Lord,  which  call  thee  by  thy 
name,  even  the  God  of  Israel. 

In  these  passages  Cyrus  is  called  the  "  Shepherd  "  and 
the  "Anointed,"  names  which  clearly  refer  to  the  Lord. 
In  this  prophecy  of  Isaiah,  as  in  Daniel,  he  represents 
the  Lord  in  His  Divine  Human  life  as  the  Saviour  of 
the  world.      (See  A.  E.  298.) 

Daniel  understood  the  vision  not  as  to  its  prophetic 
character  and  spiritual  import,  but  in  relation  to  the  re- 
turn from  captivity,  already  decreed,  which  was  to  him 
a  great  deliverance  for  which  he  had  constantly  hoped 


I  56  THE  B<  )()K  OF  DAM  HI. 

and  prayed  ;  and  also  with  reference  to  the  restoration 
of  Jerusalem  and  the  rebuilding  of  the  temple,  fust 
previous  to  the  vision  Daniel  mourned  and  tasted.      He 

says  : 

In  those  days  I.  Daniel,  was  mourning  three  whole  weeks.  I 
ate  no  pleasant  bread,  neither  came  flesh  nor  wine  into  my 
mouth,  neither  did  I  anoint  myself  at  all,  till  three  whole  weeks 
were  fulfilled.     (Ver.  2,  3.) 

This  mourning  and  fasting  was  on  account  of  the  evil 
impending  and  the  fear  lest  his  people  would  he  de- 
stroyed. In  relation  to  the  Church  and  the  individual 
man,  it  represents  a  full  state  of  humiliation  and  a  fear 
of  damnation  which  precedes  the  manifestation  of  the 
Lord.  The  Church  mourns  when  the  Lord  seems  to  be 
absent,  and  she  rejoices  when  the  Lord  comes  again  to 
reveal  Himself  anew  as  the  Divine  Saviour  and  Re- 
deemer. The  vision  which  is  now  described  in  the  suc- 
ceeding verses  —  fourth  and  sixth  —  represents  the  com- 
ing of  the  Lord  to  restore  the  Church  and  to  reveal 
Himself  anew,  first  as  a  Divine  Man,  the  "Word  made 
flesh,"  and  then  in  the  Word  transfigured  or  glorified  by 
the  unfolding  of  its  spiritual  meaning. 

Daniel  said  : 

And  in  the  four  and  twentieth  day  of  the  first  month  as  I 
was  by  the  side  of  the  great  river,  which  is  Hiddekel  (  Tigris), 
I  lifted  up  mine  eyes,  and  looked,  and,  behold,  a  man  clothed 
in  linen,  whose  loins  were  girded  with  pure  gold  of  Uphaz. 
His  body,  also,  was  like  the  beryl,  and  his  face  as  the  appear- 
ance of  lightning,  and  his  eyes  as  lamps  of  fire,  and  his  arms 
and  his  feet  like  in  color  to  burnished  brass,  and  the  voice  of 
his  words  like  the  voice  of  a  multitude.     (Ver.  4-6.) 


THE  VISION  BY  THE  RIVER  HIDDEKEL  157 

We  are  at  once  struck  with  the  similarity  of  this 
vision  to  that  of  John,  recorded  in  the  Book  of  Revela- 
tion. This  has  no  doubt  been  noticed  by  every  atten- 
tive reader  of  the  Holy  Scriptures.  It  is  commented 
upon  by  Swedenborg  as  follows  : 

That  it  was  the  Lord  who  was  thus  seen  by  Daniel,  plainly 
appears  from  the  Revelation,  where  He  was  manifested  before 
John  in  a  manner  nearly  similar,  concerning  which  it  is  said  : 
"  And  in  the  midst  of  the  seven  candlesticks,  one  like  unto  the 
Son  of  Man,  clothed  with  a  garment  down  to  the  foot,  and  girt 
about  the  paps  with  a  golden  girdle.  His  head  and  His  hairs 
were  white  like  wool,  as  white  as  snow  j  and  His  eyes  were  as 
a  flame  of  fire.  And  His  feet  like  unto  fine  brass,  as  if  they 
burned  in  a  furnace."  (Rev.  i.  13-15.)  And  again  :  "  These 
things  saith  the  Son  of  God,  who  hath  His  eyes  like  unto  a 
flame  of  fire,  and  His  feet  are  like  fine  brass."  (ii.  18.)  From 
the  similarity  of  the  description  of  the  Son  of  Man  seen  by 
John  in  the  midst  of  the  seven  candlesticks,  and  of  the  man 
clothed  in  linen,  likewise  of  the  Ancient  of  days  seen  by  Daniel, 
it  is  evident  that  it  was  the  Lord  whom  they  both  saw.  His 
face  being  seeTi  as  lightning  and  His  eyes  as  a  flame  of  fire, 
signify,  the  Divine  love  of  the  Lord  ;  for  the  face  with  man  is 
a  representative  image  of  the  affection  of  his  love,  and  espe- 
cially so  are  the  eyes,  for  from  them  the  love  shines  forth,  whence 
they  sparkle  as  it  were  from  fire.     (A.  E.  504.) 

Now  as  to  the  nature  of  this  manifestation  it  must  be 
understood  that  the  Lord  does  not  appear  to  men  or 
angels  in  His  own  Divine  glory,  but  in  a  form  accommo- 
dated to  their  state.  He  appeared  before  His  incarna- 
tion, generally,  in  the  form  of  an  angel  whose  own  indi- 
viduality was  laid  aside,  while  he  was  filled  with  the 
Divine  Presence,  so  that  the  angel  himself  knew  not,  for 


[58 


THE  l;<  II  »K  i  )!•   DANIKL 


the  time  being,  that  he  was  not  the  Lord.  (Sec  A.  (  . 
1925  ;  H.  H.  121  ;  and  D.  L.  W.  97.)  Although  it  is 
expressly  said  by  Swedenborg  that  it  was  the  Lord  who 
appeared  unto  Daniel,  it  must  be  understood,  we  think, 
that  the  man  clothed  in  linen  was  an  angelic  appearance, 
according  to  the  general  teaching  in  the  writings  of  the 
New  Church.  In  the  common  version  we  read,  "  His 
body  was  like  the  beryl,"  but  literally  it  is  "like  Tar- 
shish,"  which  is  the  country  from  which  the  shining  gem 
called  the  beryl,  supposed  to  be  the  chrysolite  of  the 
ancients  and  the  topaz  of  the  moderns,  was  obtained. 
The  appearance  of  the  man  clothed  in  fine  linen  must 
be  taken  to  represent  the  Lord  as  the  Word,  in  which  he 
manifests  His  glory  at  His  Second  Coming.  The  linen, 
as  the  Lord's  raiment,  denotes  the  Divine  Truth  with 
which  He  is  forever  arrayed.  The  Lord  is  to  be  thought 
of  objectively,  but  also  as  to  His  essence  and  quality, 
especially  as  to  His  Divine  Love  and  Wisdom.  These, 
as  they  are  manifested  to  our  human  thought,  are  denoted 
by  the  wonderful  appearances  spoken  of.  The  gold  of 
LTphaz  or  Ophir  with  which  His  loins  were  girded,  His 
body  like  the  beryl,  His  face  having  the  appearance  of 
lightning,  His  eyes  as  lamps  of  fire,  and  His  arms  and 
feet  like  in  color  to  polished  brass  —  all  these  are  signif- 
icative of  the  good  of  the  Divine  Love,  which  is  mani- 
fested in  the  Truth,  revealing  His  glory. 

In  A.  C.  6135,  where  the  above  explanation  is  sub- 
stantially given,  it  is  also  said  : 

By  Tarshish,  as  the  rest  of  the  body  appeared,  namely  the 
middle  of  the  body  between  the  head  and  loins,  is  signified  the 
good  of  charity  and  faith,  for  Tarshish  is  a  sparkling  precious 
stone. 


THE  VISION   BY  THE  RIVER  IIIDDEKEE  [ijg 

The  polished  brass  which  shines  brightly  from  the 
arms  and  feet  is  significative  of  the  Divine  Love  mani- 
fested in  good  deeds  —  the  works  of  charity  ;  while  the 
eyes  which  shone  as  lamps  of  fire  denote  the  Divine  in- 
telligence filled  with  love.  Daniel  saw  this  great  vision 
as  he  stood  by  the  side  of  the  great  river,  the  River 
Hiddekel,  or  Tigris.  This  river  denotes  the  stream  of 
Divine  Truth  as  it  proceeds  from  the  Word  and  is  seen 
by  man  in  rational  light. 

Daniel  says  that  he  alone  saw  the  vision.  Others  did 
not  see  it  because  their  spiritual  sight  was  not  opened. 
Who  those  were  who  were  with  him  we  do  not  know. 
It  is  probable  that  as  Daniel  was  now  advanced  in  age 
he  did  not  go  about  without  attendants.  These  men 
who  were  with  him  were  affected,  however,  by  this  spir- 
itual presence,  so  that  they  quaked  and  fled  to  hide  them- 
selves. Daniel  himself  was  so  affected  by  the  "  great 
vision  "  that  there  was  left  no  strength  in  him.  Then, 
when  he  heard  the  words  spoken  to  him,  he  had  fallen 
into  a  sleep  with  his  face  toward  the  ground.  We  have 
only  to  refer  to  the  account  of  the  Transfiguration  to 
find  a  parallel  to  this  scene.  The  effect  of  the  near 
presence  of  an  angel  is  to  produce  fear  and  trembling. 
Instances  in  the  Old  Testament  are  familiar.  The  spir- 
itual idea  is  that  when  the  Lord  comes  to  reveal  the  light 
of  Divine  truth,  the  effect  is  to  produce  a  state  of  fear 
on  account  of  the  evil  in  the  world.  With  the  good, 
however,  this  is  only  temporary,  for  the  Lord  imparts 
strength  to  those  who  love  Him.  While  man  is  in  a 
merely  natural  state,  he  is  filled  with  fear  at  every  mani- 
festation which  comes  to  him  from  the  spiritual  world, 


l6o  THE  B<  M  )K  OF  D  VNIEL 

but  as  soon  as  the  spiritual  degree  of  his  mind  is  opened 
he  passes  out  of  sleep,  he  awakes  to  righteousness,  and 
is  touched  by  the  influence  of  the  Divine  Love. 

The  Christian  world  was  in  the  stupor  of  naturalism 
when  the  truths  of  the  New  Dispensation  were  revealed. 
Swedenborg  was  struck  with  terror  at  first  at  the  won- 
derful things  that  were  revealed  to  him,  but  he  was 
raised  to  a  state  of  spiritual  illumination  in  which  he 
was  kept  under  the  Divine  guidance.  It  is  hardly  cor- 
rect to  say  that  the  Jewish  prophet  represents  the  Swedish 
seer,  but  there  is  an  analogy  here.  Every  servant  of  the 
Lord,  who,  like  Daniel,  has  kept  the  Lord's  testimonies, 
is  raised  from  the  sleep  of  naturalism  and  is  strength- 
ened by  the  touch  of  the  Divine  spirit,  so  that  he  can 
hear  the  Divine  voice  calling  to  His  beloved  to  stand 
upon  his  feet.  It  was  told  Daniel  by  the  Lord  when  He 
thus  appeared  to  him  that  He  had  been  with  him  from 
the  first  day  that  he  had  set  his  heart  to  understand  and 
to  chasten  himself.  The  Lord  is  always  present  with 
every  one  who  is  in  the  effort  to  know  His  will  and  do 
it,  but  He  does  not  reveal  Himself  fully  to  the  man  of 
the  Church,  or  to  the  Church  as  a  whole,  until  there  has 
been  a  full  period  of  vastation  and  humiliation.  Without 
the  effort  to  learn  the  truth,  and  without  sincere  humilia- 
tion of  the  heart  before  the  Lord  when  evil  is  made 
known,  there  can  be  no  spiritual  elevation.  Daniel  had 
prayed  many  times  to  the  Lord,  he  had  desired  light  in 
the  darkness,  and  now  the  Lord  answered  his  words. 
As  a  prophet,  Daniel  represents  at  one  time  the  Lord, 
as  when  he  interpreted  the  dream  of  Nebuchadnezzar, 
but  now  he  represents  the  man  of  the  Church  to  whom 
the   Divine   Truth    is   revealed.     All    the   prophets   sus- 


THE  VISION  BY  THE  RIVER  HIDDEKEL  ^1 

tained  this  double  representation,  standing  as  represen- 
tatives of  the  Lord  when  they  taught  and  prophesied, 
and  representing  the  state  of  the  Church  when  they 
were  in  suffering  and  humiliation.  Moses  also  in  the 
Word  has  a  similar  duality  of  representation.  And,  in- 
deed, the  Lord  Himself  passed  through  two  distinct 
states,  one  of  humiliation  on  the  human  side  of  His  life 
in  which  He  "bore  the  sins  of  many,"  and  one  of  Divine 
glory  in  which  He  revealed  the  will  of  the  Father  and 
was  "  mighty  to  save."     In  verse  13  we  read  : 

But  the  prince  of  the  kingdom  of  Persia  withstood  me  one 
and  twenty  days  :  but  lo,  Michael,  one  of  the  chief  princes, 
came  to  help  me  ;  and  I  remained  there  with  the  Kings  of 
Persia. 

This  language  is  descriptive  not  of  an  earthly  conflict 
but  of  a  spiritual  one.  It  relates  to  "  war  in  heaven," 
that  is,  on  the  spiritual  side  and  not  on  earth.  The 
Kings  of  Persia  simply  represent  and  signify  the  forces 
of  evil  and  falsity  which  make  war  against  the  truth. 
Michael  represents  an  angelic  society,  which  is  in  the 
acknowledgment  of  the  Divine  Humanity  and  from  which 
strength  is  derived.  When  the  Lord  was  tempted  and 
suffered,  angels  came  and  strengthened  Him.  (Luke 
xxii.  43.)  This  portion  of  the  prophecy  seems  to  point 
clearly  to  the  Lord's  Second  Coming,  and  Daniel's  atti- 
tude represents  a  state  of  profound  humility,  which  will 
be  the  state  of  all  who  receive  the  revelations  made  to 
the  New  Church.  He  "set  his  face  towards  the  ground 
and  was  dumb." 

Then  we  are  told  :  "  And  behold,  one,  like  the  simili- 
tude of  the  sons  of  men  touched  my  lips."  It  is  said  in 
verse  10  that  a  "  hand  touched  him,"  when  he   first   saw 


[62  ["HE  B(  »0R  <  >l    DANIEL 

the  vision,  and  there  remained  no  strength  in  him.  By 
the  touch  of  the  hand  is  signified  the  communication  of 
power.  Here  by  the  lips  being  touched  is  meant  the 
communication  of  truth.  Isaiah  declares  that  his  lips 
were  touched  with  a  live  coal  from  the  altar,  which  sig- 
nifies that  the  prophet  was  gifted  with  a  degree  of  inspira- 
tion by  the  communication  of  the  Divine  Love.  Daniel's 
mouth  was  then  opened  and  he  spake  and  said  unto  Him 
that  stood  before  him  :  "  O  my  Lord,  by  reason  of  the 
vision  my  sorrows  are  turned  upon  me,  and  I  retain  no 
strength.     (Ver.  16.) 

The  effect  of  the  opening  of  the  spiritual  degree  <>) 
the  mind  to  the  light  of  Divine  Truth,  is  to  render,man's 
lower  nature  weak  and  to  bring  him  into  the  acknowl- 
edgment that  of  himself  he  is  altogether  nothing.  This 
confession  which  Daniel  made  is  that  of  every  humble 
believer  in  the  Lord,  when  the  truth  is  clearly  mani- 
fested. And  then  new  strength  is  imparted  by  a  new 
communication  from  above.  (Ver.  18.)  The  form  of 
the  address  to  Daniel  :  "O  man,  greatly  beloved,  fear 
not  :  peace  be  unto  thee,  be  strong,  yea  be  strong  " 
(ver.  19),  shows  how  those  who  are  faithful  to  the  Lord's 
teachings  are  conjoined  to  Him  by  love  and  made  strong 
in  their  faith.  In  every  new  revelation  and  in  every  con- 
sequent elevation  of  the  understanding  to  receive  it, 
there  is  necessarily  a  resistance  from  opposing  forces. 
The  spiritual  combats  against  evil  and  falsity  in  which 
man  must  engage,  do  not  cease  with  the  reception  of  the 
highest  truths,  truths  of  a  celestial  kind  ;  these  truths 
cannot  be  ours,  in  fact,  until  the  opposite  falsities  are 
removed,  especially  the  great  falsity  which  would  lead 
us  to   believe   that  wc   have  knowledge  or  power  from 


THE  VISION  BY  THE  RIVER  HIDDEKEL  ^3 

ourselves,  or  that  we  are  wise  or  good  from  ourselves. 
The  combat  will  go  on  until  this  false  idea  which  is  sig- 
nified by  the  prince  of  Persia  is  overthrown.  And 
then,  when  the  Lord  has  "gone  forth,  lo,  the  prince  of 
Grecia  shall  come."  By  the  "prince  of  Grecia,"  in  this 
passage,  we  do  not  understand  an  antagonistic  force  or 
power.  On  the  contrary,  these  words  represent  those 
who  are  remote  from  the  Church,  but  who  will  receive 
the  truths  which  the  Lord  reveals  at  His  Second  Com- 
ing. Greece  has  the  same  signification  as  the  "  isles," 
because  of  those  who  inhabited  the  islands  in  the  Grecian 
Archipelago.  "  He  shall  not  fail  nor  be  discouraged,  till 
He  have  set  judgment  in  the  earth  :  and  the  isles  shall 
wait  for  His  law."  (Isa.  xlii.  4.)  John  received  a  reve- 
lation from  the  Lord  in  the  isle  called  Patmos,  which  was 
in  the  /Egean  Sea. 

The  last  verse  of  this  chapter  contains  a  promise  of 
the  New  Revelation,  and  the  teaching  that  those  only 
will  receive  it  who  acknowledge  the  Lord  in  His  Divine 
Humanity.  What  is  said  to  Daniel  here  is  said  to  those 
whom  he  represents,  that  is,  those  who  in  states  of  hu- 
mility look  to  the  Lord  and  desire  to  know  the  truth. 
To  these  He  is  constantly  saying  :  "  But  I  will  tell  thee 
that  which  is  inscribed  in  the  writing  of  truth."  And 
of  those  in  the  heavenly  societies  who  are  especially  in 
the  love  of  communicating  the  idea  that  the  human  life 
of  the  Lord  was  made  Divine  while  He  was  in  the  world, 
it  is  said  :  "  And  there  is  none  that  holdeth  with  Me 
against  these,  but  Michael  your  prince."  Michael,  which 
means  "  like  to  God,"  represents,  as  before,  those  who 
are  in  this  love  and  faith.  "  Michael  and  his  angels 
fought  against  the  dragon."     (Rev.  xii.  7.) 


H,  i  I'HI'.  BOOK  <  IF  DANIEL 


CHAPTER    XI. 

And  as  for  me,  in  the  first  year  of  Darius  the  Mede,  I 

sttn  id  up  to  confirm  and  strengthen  him. 

2  And  now  will  I  shew  thee  the  truth.  Behold,  there  shall 
stand  up  yet  three  kings  in  Persia  ;  and  the  fourth  shall  be 
far  richer  than  they  all  :  and  when  he  is  waxed  strong  through 
his   riches,  he  shall  stir  up  all  against  the  realm  of  Greece. 

3  And  a  mighty  king  shall  stand  up,  that  shall  rule  with  great 

4  dominion,  and  do  according  to  his  will.  And  when  he  shall 
stand  up,  his  kingdom  shall  be  broken,  and  shall  be  divided 
toward  the  four  winds  of  heaven  j  but  not  to  his  posterity, 
nor  according  to  his  dominion  wherewith  he  ruled  ;  for  his 
kingdom  shall  be  plucked  up,  even  for  others  beside  these. 

5  And  the  king  of  the  south  shall  be  strong,  and  one  of  his 
princes  ;  and  he  shall  be  strong  above  him,  and  have  do- 

6  minion  ;  his  dominion  shall  be  a  great  dominion.  And  at 
the  end  of  years  they  shall  join  themselves  together ;  and 
the  daughter  of  the  king  of  the  south  shall  come  to  the  king 
of  the  north  to  make  an  agreement :  but  she  shall  not  retain 
the  strength  of  her  arm  ;  neither  shall  he  stand,  nor  his  arm  ; 
but  she  shall  be  given  up.  and  they  that  brought  her,  and  he 
that  begat  her,  and  he  that  strengthened  her  in  those  times. 

7  But  out  of  a  shoot  from  her  roots  shall  one  stand  up  in  his 
place,  which  shall  come  unto  the  army,  and  shall  enter  into 
the  fortress  of  the  king  of  the  north,  and  shall  deal   against 

8  them,  and  shall  prevail  :  and  also  their  gods,  with  their 
molten  images,  and  with  their  goodly  vessels  of  silver  and 
of  gold,  shall  he  carry  captive  into  Egypt  ;   and  he  shall   re- 

9  frain  some  years  from  the  king  of  the  north.  And  he  shall 
come  into  the  realm  of  the  king  of  the  south,  but  he  shall 

io  return   into   his   own    land.      And    his   sons   shall  war,  and 
shall  assemble  a  multitude  of  great  forces,  which  shall  come 


THE  KINGS  OF  THE  NORTH  AND  Sol  Til  165 

on,  and  overflow,  and  pass  through  :   and  they  shall  return 

1 1  and  war,  even  to  his  fortress.  And  the  king  of  the  south 
shall  be  moved  with  choler,  and  shall  come  forth  and  fight 
with  him,  even  with  the  king  of  the  north  :  and  he  shall  set 
forth  a  great  multitude,  and  the  multitude  shall  be  given  into 

12  his  hand.  And  the  multitude  shall  be  lifted  up,  and  his 
heart  shall  be  exalted  :   and  he  shall  cast  down  tens  of  thou- 

13  sands,  but  he  shall  not  prevail.  And  the  king  of  the  north 
shall  return,  and  shall  set  forth  a  multitude  greater  than  the 
former ;  and  he  shall  come  on  at  the  end  of  the  times,  even 

14  of  years,  with  a  great  army  and  with  much  substance.  And 
in  those  times  there  shall  many  stand  up  against  the  king  of 
the  south  :  also  the  children  of  the  violent  among  thy  peo- 
ple shall  lift  themselves  up  to  establish  the  vision  ;  but  they 

15  shall  fall.  So  the  king  of  the  north  shall  come,  and  cast  up 
a  mount,  and  take  a  well  fenced  city  :  and  the  arms  of  the 
south  shall  not  withstand,  neither  his  chosen  people,  neither 

16  shall  there  be  any  strength  to  withstand.  But  he  that  cometh 
against  him  shall  do  according  to  his  own  will,  and  none 
shall  stand  before  him  :   and  he  shall  stand  in  the  glorious 

1  7  land,  and  in  his  hand  shall  be  destruction.  And  he  shall  set 
his  face  to  come  with  the  strength  of  his  whole  kingdom, 
and  upright  ones  with  him;  and  he  shall  do  his  pleasure  : 
and  he  shall  give  him   the  daughter  of  women,  to  corrupt 

18  her ;  but  she  shall  not  stand,  neither  be  for  him.  After  this 
shall  he  turn  his  face  unto  the  isles,  and  shall  take  many  :  but 
a  prince  shall  cause  the  reproach  offered  by  him  to  cease  ; 
yea,  moreover,  he  shall  cause  his  reproach  to  turn  upon  him. 

19  Then  he  shall  turn  his  face  toward  the  fortresses  of  his  own 
land  :  but  he  shall  stumble  and  fall,  and  shall  not  be  found. 

20  Then  shall  stand  up  in  his  place  one  that  shall  cause  an  ex- 
actor to  pass  through  the  glory  of  the  kingdom  :  but  within 
few  days  he  shall  be  destroyed,  neither  in  anger,  nor  in  bat- 


I  66  THE  BOOK  OF  DANIEL 

21  tie.  And  in  his  place  shall  stand  up  a  contemptible  person, 
to  whom  they  had  not  given  the  honor  of  the  kingdom  :  but 
he  shall  come  in  time  of  security,  and  shall  obtain  the  king- 

22  dom  by  flatteries.  And  with  the  arms  of  a  flood  shall  they 
be  swept  away  from  before  him,  and  shall  be  broken  ;  yea, 

23  also  the  prince  of  the  covenant.  And  after  the  league  made 
with  him  he  shall  work  deceitfully:  for  he  shall  come  up, 

24  and  shall  become  strong,  with  a  small  people.  In  time  of 
security  shall  he  come  even  upon  the  fattest  places  of  the 
province  ;  and  he  shall  do  that  which  his  fathers  have  not 
done,  nor  his  fathers'  fathers  ;  he  shall  scatter  among  them 
prey,  and  spoil,  and  substance  :  yea,  he  shall  devise  his  de- 

25  vices  against  the  strong  holds,  even  for  a  time.  And  he 
shall  stir  up  his  power  and  his  courage  against  the  king  of 
the  south  with  a  great  army  ;  and  the  king  of  the  south  shall 
war  in  battle  with  an  exceeding  great  and  mighty  army  :  but 
he  shall  not  stand,  for  they  shall  devise  devices  against  him. 

26  Yea,  they  that  eat  of  his  meat  shall  destroy  him,  and  his 

27  army  shall  overflow  :  and  many  shall  fall  down  slain.  And 
as  for  both  these  kings,  their  hearts  shall  be  to  do  mischief, 
and  they  shall  speak  lies  at  one  table  :  but  it  shall  not  pros- 

28  per;  for  yet  the  end  shall  be  at  the  time  appointed.  Then 
shall  he  return  into  his  land  with  great  substance  ;  and  his 
heart  shall  be  against  the  holy  covenant ;  and  he  shall  do 

29  his  pleasure,  and  return  to  his  own  land.  At  the  time  ap- 
pointed he  shall  return,  and   come  into  the  south  ;  but   it 

30  shall  not  be  in  the  latter  time  as  it  was  in  the  former.  For 
ships  of  Kittim  shall  come  against  him  ;  therefore  he  shall 
be  grieved,  and  shall  return,  and  have  indignation  against  the 
holy  covenant,  and  shall  do  his  pleasure  :  he  shall  even  return, 
and  have  regard  unto  them  that  forsake  the  holy  covenant. 

31  And  arms  shall  stand  on  his  part,  and  they  shall  profane  the 
sanctuary,  even  the  fortress,  and  shall  take  away  the  con- 


THE  KINGS  OF  THE  NORTH  AND  SOUTH  \f}y 

tinual  burnt  offering,  and  they  shall  set  up  the  abomination 
32  that  maketh  desolate.     And  such  as  do  wickedly  against  the 

covenant  shall  he  pervert  by  flatteries  :  but  the  people  that 
3$  know  their  God  shall  be  strong,  and  do  exploits.     And  they 

that  be   wise   among  the  people  shall  instruct  many  :   yet 

they  shall  fall  by  the  sword  and  by  flame,  by  captivity  and 

34  by  spoil,  many  days.  Now  when  they  shall  fall,  they  shall 
be  holpen  with  a  little  help  :  but  many  shall  join  themselves 

35  unto  them  with  flatteries.  And  some  of  them  that  be  wise 
shall  fall,  to  refine  them,  and  to  purify,  and  to  make  them 
white,  even  to  the  time  of  the  end  :  because  it  is  yet  for  the 

36  time  appointed.  And  the  king  shall  do  acccording  to  his 
will  ;  and  he  shall  exalt  himself,  and  magnify  himself  above 
every  god,  and  shall  speak  marvellous  things  against  the 
God  of  gods  :  and  he  shall  prosper  till  the  indignation  be 
accomplished  ;  for  that  which  is  determined  shall  be  done. 

37  Neither  shall  he  regard  the  gods  of  his  fathers,  nor  the  de- 
sire of  women,  nor  regard   any  god  :  for  he  shall   magnify 

38  himself  above  all.  But  in  his  place  shall  he  honor  the  god 
of  fortresses  :  and  a  god  whom  his  fathers  knew  not  shall  he 
honour  with  gold,  and  silver,  and  with  precious  stones,  and 

39  pleasant  things.  And  he  shall  deal  with  the  strongest  for- 
tresses by  the  help  of  a  strange  god  ;  whosoever  acknowl- 
edged! him  he  will  increase  with  glory  :  and  he  shall  cause 
them  to  rule  over  many,  and  shall  divide  the  land  for  a 

40  price.  And  at  the  time  of  the  end  shall  the  king  of  the 
south  contend  with  him  :  and  the  king  of  the  north  shall 
come  against  him  like  a  whirlwind,  with  chariots,  and  with 
horsemen,  and  with  many  ships  ;  and  he  shall  enter  into  the 

41  countries,  and  shall  overflow  and  pass  through.  He  shall 
enter  also  into  the  glorious  land,  and  many  countries  shall 
be  overthrown  :  but  these  shall  be  delivered  out  of  his  hand, 
Edom,  and  Moab,  and  the  chief  of  the  children  of  Amnion. 


[68  THE  Hi  x  >K  I  IF  DANIEL 

42  He  shall  stretch  forth  his  hand  also  upon  the  countries  :  and 

43  the  land  of  Egypt  shall  not  escape.  But  he  shall  have 
I  lower  over  the  treasures  of  gold  and  of  silver,  and  over  all 
the   precious  things  of  Egypt :   and   the   Libyans  and  the 

44  Ethiopians  shall  be  at  his  steps.  But  tidings  out  of  the  east 
and  out  of  the  north  shall  trouble  him  :  and  he  shall  go 
forth  with  great  fury  to  destroy  and   utterly  to   make  away 

45  many.  And  he  shall  plant  the  tents  of  his  palace  between 
the  sea  and  the  glorious  holy  mountain  ;  yet  he  shall  come 
to  his  end,  and  none  shall  help  him. 


REFERENCES. 

Verses.  Numbers. 

1-4 P.  P. 

1  and  following A.  R.  20 

1  to  end A.  C.  370S;    A.  R.  720;    A.  E.  31 

2 \.  R.  34;    A.  E.  50 

4 a.  k.  41S 

5 I'1' 

6 P.  P. 

7-9 P.P- 

8,33 A.  K.  811 

10-12 P.  P. 

13-16 P-  P- 

13,  15,  20 A.  K.  447 

13.  25 v-  E-  573 

13,  25,  26 A.  C.  3448 

16,  41 \.  <  •  981 5 

16,  41,  45 A.  C.  5222 

17 P.  P. 

18-20 P.  P. 

21-23 P.  P. 

24-26 P.  P. 


THE  KINGS  OF  THE  NORTH  AND  SOUTH  i6q 

24,  37-  38 A.  C.  6075 

27,  28 P.  P. 

27.  35-45 Diet.  P.  13 

29-31 P.P. 

31 A.  C.  2S38,  10042;    A.  E.  700,  1045 

32-35 P.  P. 

35 D.  Lord  4 

36 A.  C.  4402,  7268 

36,  37 P.  P. 

38,39 A.  E.  717;    P.  1'. 

40 A.  <:.  6385;   A.  R.  437;    A.  E.  355,  514 

40,41 A.  C.  2468,  3322;    P.P. 

41 P.  P. 

42,43 A.  E.  654;    P.  P. 

43   .   .   .   .A.  C.  117,  1164,  1166,  1462;  A.  R.  503;  A.  E.  654 

44,  45 P.  P. 

45 A.  E.  405 

Chapter  cited  A.  C.  1664,  2015,  2547,  9642,  10455;    H.  &  H.    171 ;    A.  R. 

500;    A.  E.  734 


j  70  I  Ml    BOOK  OF  DANIEL 


COMMENTARY. 

Mil      KING    OF    THE    NORTH    AND    THE    KIMI    OF 
THE    sol   III. 

The  tenth,  eleventh,  and  twelfth  chapters  of  this 
book  are  closely  connected  in  their  spiritual  sense.  In 
fact,  verses  eighteen  to  twenty  of  chapter  ten,  seem 
properly  to  belong  to  the  beginning  of  chapter  eleven. 
The  man-angel  who  appeared  to  Daniel  continues  to 
instruct  him  concerning  the  state  of  the  Church,  and 
to  strengthen  him. 

Man}'  attempts  have  been  made  by  biblical  scholars 
to  explain  this  chapter.  They  have  interpreted  it  as  if 
it  contained  direct  reference  to  the  fierce  struggle  for 
supremacy  between  Syria  and  Egypt  and  their  respec- 
tive rulers,  and  the  subsequent  triumph  of  the  Roman 
power  over  both.  Antiochus  Epiphanes  is  supposed  to 
be  meant  by  the  fierce  "  King  of  the  North,"  and  the 
king  of  Egypt  by  the  "King  of  the  South."  How 
utterly  inadequate  such  a  method  of  interpretation  is 
when  applied  to  other  portions  of  this  book,  we  have 
already  endeavored  to  show. 

If  it  seem  to  us  that  history  and  prophecy  and  even 
heavenly  imagery  are  strangely  blended  in  this  book 
called  Daniel,  we  must  remember  that  the  natural  world 
and  the  spiritual  world  are  closely  related —  the  former 
exists  from  the  latter  and  corresponds  to  it.  Natural 
persons  and  things  are  simply  used  in  the  Word  to  rep- 
resent and  signify  spiritual  ideas  and  principles  and 
their  operation   in    the  human    mind.       The    church    on 


THE  KINGS  OF  THE  NORTH  AND  SOUTH  j^i 

earth  is  connected  with  the  spiritual  world  and  derives 
its  quality  from  the  state  of  that  world.  There  is, 
therefore,  a  double  representation.  The  scenes  and 
objects  shown  to  Daniel  in  vision  were  actual  repre- 
sentations in  the  spiritual  world,  while  the  names  of 
the  kings  and  kingdoms,  although  derived  from  earthly 
countries,  are  simply  used  to  represent  the  dominion  of 
true  or  false  principles.  How  they  acquired  their  rep- 
resentative meanings  is  not  always  clear,  but  we  may 
be  sure  that  such  representation  is  definite,  and  forms 
the  true  basis  of  the  spiritual  meaning  of  many  portions 
of  the  Word.  Such  a  method  of  interpretation  may 
seem  fanciful  to  some,  but  in  reality  it  is  that  method 
only  by  which  the  whole  Word  and  especially  its  proph- 
ecies can  be  seen  to  be  Divinely  inspired  and  full  of 
instruction  in  heavenly  things.  "  The  sum  of  Thy 
W^ord  is  the  truth  and  every  one  of  Thy  righteous 
judgments  endureth  forever."      (Ps.  cxix.  160.) 

From  verse  one  to  four  of  this  chapter  the  old  dis- 
pensation, that  is  the  Jewish  Church  which  preceded 
the  Christian,  is  again  alluded  to  and  its  final  destruc- 
tion is  predicted.  We  have  already  read  of  the  end  of 
the  Jewish  Dispensation,  but  prophecy  is  repeated  in 
the  Word.  In  the  Word  all  the  changing  states  of  the 
churches  are  represented  from  beginning  to  end.  The 
Jewish  Church  remained  after  the  Christian  Church 
began,  that  is,  its  dark  shadow  overhung  like  a  cloud 
the  spiritual  horizon  ;  just  as  at  this  day,  the  influence 
of  the  old  dogmas  still  lingers  in  the  Christian  world 
and  prevents  a  rapid  spread  of  the  light  of  the  New 
Church.      The   Lord   said  :   "  This   generation   shall   not 


I  ■- 2  THE   1!'  ")K   n|    DANIEL 

pass  away  until  all  these  things  be  fulfilled."  The  old 
Jewish  spirit  of  mere  obedience  to  the  letter  of  the  law 
and  the  idea  of  human  authority  in  the  Church,  remains 
until  the  new  generation  begins,  the  generation  oi  a 
new  spirit  and  a  new  life. 

The  kin^s  of  Persia  represent,  as  before,  the  domin- 
ion of  false  principles  in  the  mind,  while  Grecia  denotes 
those  who  are  in  Gentile  states  and  have  some  remain- 
ing good  in  them.  The  fourth  king  is  said  to  be  richer 
than  all  —  which  denotes  an  increase  of  false  ideas 
which  finally  become  united  with  evil,  then  a  "  mighty 
king  shall  stand  up."  But  "  his  kingdom  shall  be 
broken  "  and  "divided  towards  the  four  winds  of  heav- 
en." (Verses  2-4.)  As  the  influence  of  Christianity 
prevailed  the  old  dominion  passed  away,  and  the  Jewish 
Church  ceased  to  be  a  ruling  power  in  the  world.  Thus 
it  may  be  seen  that  although  the  Jewish  Church  came 
to  an  end  as  a  Divine  institution  when  the  Christian 
Church  began  and  the  Lord  executed  Mis  judgment 
upon  the  former  church,  yet  its  influence  in  the  world 
lasted  for  some  time  afterwards.  Even  now,  at  the 
Lord's  Second  Coming,  the  Jewish  spirit  still  lingers  in 
the  hamuli  mind,  although  the  Jewish  Church  itself  has 
long  ago  ceased  to  fulfil  the  purpose  of  its  original 
institution. 

Now,  however,  a  new  state  of  things  is  spoken  of. 
"And  the  king  of  the  south  shall  be  strong  and  one 
of  his  princes;  and  he  shall  be  strong  above  him,  and 
have  dominion  ;  his  dominion  shall  be  a  great  domin- 
ion." (Verse  5.)  By  the  "king  of  the  south  "  is  meant 
the  rule   or  government   of  genuine   faith    in    the    Lord, 


THE  KINGS  OF  THE  NORTH  AND  Sol  Til  iy^ 

springing  from  charity  or  love,  which  begins  to  prevail 
when  a  new  church  arises.  As  to  the  signification  of 
the  four  quarters,  north,  south,  east,  and  west,  see 
"Heaven  and  Hell"  141-153,  and  "Divine  Love  and 
Wisdom  "  1  19-128. 

There  are  two  principles  of  the  Church  that  ought  to 
be  united,  namely,  faith  and  charity.  All  the  divisions 
and  troubles  that  have  existed  in  the  world,  in  Church 
or  State,  have  had  their  origin  in  a  separation  of  faith 
from  charity,  or  by  placing  faith  before  charity.  Faith 
separate  from  charity  has  already  been  treated  of  in 
this  book  under  the  figure  of  the  he-goat.  (Chap,  viii.) 
Gradually  the  Christian  Church  departed  from  a  true 
and  living  faith  in  the  Lord  which  was  united  with 
charity,  and  degenerated  into  a  church  of  creeds  and 
forms.  The  "king  of  the 'north"  represents  the  prin- 
ciple of  faith  when  it  begins  to  be  regarded  as  the  es- 
sential principle  of  the  Church.  For  some  time,  how- 
ever, there  was  no  antagonism  created  between  these 
two  principles.  Faith  was  still  in  some  degree  united 
with  charity.      It  is  written  : 

And  at  the  end  of  years  they  shall  join  themselves  together ; 
for  the  daughter  of  the  king  of  the  south  shall  come  to  the  king 
of  the  north  to  make  an  agreement  :  but  she  shall  not  retain  the 
strength  of  her  arm  ;  neither  shall  he  stand  nor  his  arm  ;  but 
she  shall  be  given  up  and  they  that  brought  her,  and  he  that 
begat  her,  and  he  that  strengthened  her  in  those  times. 
(Ver.  6.) 

Here  the  "daughter  of  the  king  of  the  south  "  denotes 
the  affection  of  truth   remaining:  in   the   Church  which 


'74 


THE  BOOK  OF  DANIEL 


seeks  to  be  united  with  faith  in  the  Lord.  This  affec- 
tion, however,  is  now  spoken   of  as  degenerated  ;  that 

is,  it  denotes  the  affection  of  truth  which  seeks  to  he 
joined  to  the  idea  that  salvation  is  effected  by  a  belief 
in  the  Lord  without  the  works  of  charity.  "At  the  end 
of  years  "  refers  to  that  state  of  the  Christian  Church 
when  charity  fell  away  or  degenerated  and  the  mem  hers 
of  the  Church  fell  into  the  idea  of  faith  alone  and  em- 
braced it  in  preference  to  the  original  doctrine  taught 
by  the  Lord  that  charity  is  the  essential  principle.  Al- 
though there  were  a  few  who  still  clung  to  this  primitive 
doctrine  of  Christianity,  yet  they  had  little  power  and 
were  obliged  to  give  up  or  yield  to  the  hard  teaching 
that  faith  alone  is  saving. 

From  verse  seven  to  twelve,  we  are  instructed  as  to 
the  uprising  again  of  those  "who,  in  subsequent  genera- 
tions, still  tried  to  resist  and  overcome  the  falsity  of 
salvation  by  faith  alone.  Charity  was  never  in  fact 
finally  extinguished  ;  John  tarried  until  the  Lord  came. 
All  along  in  different  parts  of  the  Christian  world,  as 
history  shows,  there  was  a  remaining  love  of  good,  which 
could  not  yield  to  the  prevalent  idea  that  man  had  no 
other  duty  than  to  profess  a  belief  in  Christ  as  an  in- 
tercessor with  the  Father  and  to  observe  the  external 
rites  of  the  Church.  But  there  were  many  forms  of 
solifidianism  which  became  so  hard  and  strong  as  to  re- 
sist all  the  gentle  teachings  of  the  Saviour  of  men. 
These  two  ideas  could  not  exist  together  ;  they  were 
antagonistic  to  each  other  and  they  not  only  produced 
a  strife  of  tongues,  but  physical  warfare  and  bloodshed. 
It  was  in  vain  that  the  faithful  gathered   their  army,  or 


THE  KINGS  OF  THE  NORTH  AND  SOUTH 


175 


that  they  brought  the  truths  of  the  Word  to  overcome 
the  false  teachings  of  man.  Reading  again  in  the 
prophecy  (verse  13)  we  learn  that  the  "king  of  the 
north  shall  return  and  shall  set  forth  a  multitude  greater 
than  the  former,  and  he  shall  come  on  at  the  end  of  the 
times  even  of  years  with  a  great  army  and  with  much 
substance."  From  this  verse  to  the  sixteenth  we  have 
a  description  of  how  the  doctrine  of  faith  alone  as  sav- 
ing, prevails  over  its  opposite  and  brings  all  into  sub- 
mission to  it.      In  the  seventeenth  verse  we  read  : 

And  he  shall  set  his  face  to  come  with  the  strength  of  his 
whole  kingdom,  and  upright  ones  with  him  ;  and  he  shall  do 
his  pleasure  and  he  shall  give  him  the  daughter  of  women  to 
corrupt  her ;  but  she  shall  not  stand,  neither  be  for  him. 

From  this  verse  to  the  twenty-third  inclusive,  the 
prophecy  treats  of  the  changes  which  took  place  in  the 
dogmatic  theology  of  Protestant  Christendom.  The 
idea  was  introduced  into  the  Church's  teaching  that 
charity  was  indeed  an  important  principle,  but  that  it 
was  derived  from  faith  —  it  was  not  the  first  born.  Thus 
the  true  order  of  spiritual  development  was  reversed  — 
the  form  was  put  before  the  essence.  Faith  does  not 
produce  charity.  It  precedes  it  in  point  of  time  ;  but 
only  when  it  is  united  with  charity  are  there  any  good 
fruits  —  thus  we  see  how  the  "daughter  of  women  "  is 
corrupted,  according  to  the  prophecy  of  this  book. 

We  are  taught  that  those  passages  of  the  Word  by 
which  it  may  be  confirmed  that  charity  is  the  essential 
principle  were  wrongly  explained,  and  thus  the  faith 
which  is  derived  from  charity  was  destroyed,  and  a  de- 


T'» 


I  III     Hi  ii  iK  <>!•   DANIEL 


ceitful  appearance  of  a  heavenly  union  took  the  place 
of  the  true  marriage  of  faith  and  love.  (Verses  24-28  ; 
sec  Summary  Exposition.)  These  continual  combats 
between  true  and  false  ideas  in  the  mind  are  little 
thought  of  at  this  day,  but  ecclesiastical  history  con- 
firms these  explanations  of  the  Word  of  prophecy. 
And  we  further  see  that  this  apparent  union  between 
charity  and  faith  could  not  last  ;  faith  alone  still  pre- 
vailed ;  the  "  king  of  the  north  returned  to  the  land 
with  great  substance,"  and  every  vestige  of  the  primi- 
tive idea  was  destroyed.     (Verses  29-31.) 

There  were  however  a  few,  even  after  this  false 
dogma  triumphed,  who  still  opposed  the  teaching  of 
the  existing  church  and  would  have  revived  the  true 
doctrine,  but  they  were  overpowered  by  numbers  and 
wealth.  (Verses  32-35.)  These  verses  seem  to  refer 
particularly  to  those  who  still  read  the  Word  and  un- 
derstood its  meaning,  and  who  secretly  maintained  pri- 
vate worship  and  kept  copies  of  the  Word  hidden  from 
their  oppressors.  But  at  length  "faith  alone  prevailed, 
a  religion  which  destroys  all  fear  of  God  and  the  whole 
Church."  (Verses  36,  2>7  ■)  ^  's  verv  clear  that  this 
ruling  dogma,  which  was  so  strongly  contended  for  in 
the  sixteenth  and  seventeenth  centuries  of  the  Christian 
era,  hardened  men's  hearts  to  such  a  degree  that  they 
began  to  regard  their  own  power  in  maintaining  and 
enforcing  it  as  something  greater  than  the  doctrine  it- 
self, or  than  any  doctrine;  so  they  worshipped  them- 
selves and  honored  themselves  instead  of  honoring  and 
worshipping  the  Lord.  This  is  the  "strange  god  "  that 
is  spoken  of   in  verses  38,  39. 


THE  KINGS  OF  THE  NORTH   AND  SOUTH  \jj 

Thus  it  was  that  genuine  faith  in  the  Lord  derived 
from  a  love  for  heavenly  things  was  wholly  subjugated 
at  the  end  of  the  Church.  (Verses  40,  41.)  But  there 
were  some  who  escaped  this  destructive  influence. 
Those  who  were  in  simple  good  and  had  little  care- 
about  doctrines  or  knowledge  concerning  them,  but 
who  observed  the  external  forms  of  worship,  are  signi- 
fied by  "  Edom  and  Moab  and  the  chief  of  the  children 
of  Amnion."  These  escaped  from  the  hand  of  the 
king  of  the  north.  (See  A.  C.  3322.)  There  was  no 
part  of  the  Church  nor  any  degree  of  the  human  mind 
that  was  not  affected  by  this  blighting  influence.  Even 
those  who  would  know  the  laws  of  natural  science  and 
investigate  the  mysteries  of  nature  became  mere  rea- 
soners  and  lost  the  power  of  rational  thinking  on  spir- 
itual subjects  or  natural  phenomena.  (Verses  42,  43.) 
This  was  a  state  of  bondage  to  the  Church  which  must 
be  broken.      The  concluding  verses  are  : 

But  tidings  out  of  the  East  and  out  of  the  North  shall  trouble, 
him  :  therefore  he  shall  go  forth  with  great  fury  to  destroy,  and 
utterly  to  make  away  many.  And  he  shall  plant  the  tents  of 
his  palace  between  the  sea  and  the  glorious  holy  mountain  ; 
yet  he  shall  come  to  his  end,  and  none  shall  help  him. 

In  the  last  state  of  the  Church  its  false  devotees 
foresee  the  coming  judgment  and  endeavor  to  establish 
their  doctrines  in  the  minds  of  those  who  can  see  noth- 
ing beyond  the  sensual  appearances  of  truth  in  the 
natural  world.  The  last  judgment  was  executed  in 
the  world  of  spirits,  and  it  was  in  that  world  that  the 
Solifidians  built   up  imaginary  heavens   in   high   places. 


178 


THE  B0<  »K  OF  DANI1  I 


which  wore  a  "holy  mountain"  to  them,  but  on  either 
side  were  the  false  imaginations  and  conceits  derived 
from  merely  sensual  thought.  These  are  denoted  by 
the  seas  in  verse  45. 

These  habitations  in  the  world  of  spirits  of  those  who 
were  in  faith  alone,  were  cast  down  and  scattered  at 
the  last  judgment,  which  is  described  by  Sweden borg. 
(See  the  work  entitled  Continuation  of  the  Last  Judg- 
ment, sect.  14-31.)  Thus  the  prophecy  was  fulfilled: 
"He  shall  come  to  his  end,  and  none  shall  help  him." 


THE  END  OF  PROPHECY  iyg 


CHAPTER   XII. 

And  at  that  time  shall  Michael  stand  up,  the  great  prince 
which  standeth  for  the  children  of  thy  people  :  and  there 
shall  be  a  time  of  trouble,  such  as  never  was  since  there  was 
a  nation  even  to  that  same  time  :  and  at  that  time  thy 
people  shall  be  delivered,  every  one   that  shall  be  found 

2  written  in  the  book.  And  many  of  them  that  sleep  in  the 
dust  of  the  earth  shall  awake,  some  to  everlasting  life,  and 

3  some  to  shame  and  everlasting  contempt.  And  they  that 
be  wise  shall  shine  as  the  brightness  of  the  firmament  ;  and 
they  that  turn  many  to  righteousness  as  the   stars  for  ever 

4  and  ever.  But  thou,  O  Daniel,  shut  up  the  words,  and  seal 
the  book,  even  to  the  time  of  the  end  :  many  shall  run  to 
and  fro,  and  knowledge  shall  be  increased. 

5  Then  I  Daniel  looked,  and,  behold,  there  stood  other  two, 
the  one  on  the  brink  of  the  river  on  this  side,  and  the  other 

6  on  the  brink  of  the  river  on  that  side.  And  one  said  to  the 
man  clothed  in  linen,  which  was  above  the  waters  of  the 
river,  How  long  shall  it  be  to  the  end  of  these  wonders  ? 

7  And  I  heard  the  man  clothed  in  linen,  which  was  above  the 
waters  of  the  river,  when  he  held  up  his  right  hand  and  his 
left  hand  unto  heaven,  and  sware  by  him  that  liveth  for  ever 
that  it  shall  be  for  a  time,  times,  and  an  half ;  and  when 
they  have  made  an  end  of  breaking  in  pieces  the  power  of 

8  the  holy  people,  all  these  things  shall  be  finished.  And  I 
heard,  but  I  understood  not :  then  said  I,  O  my  lord,  what 

9  shall  be  the  issue  of  these  things?  And  he  said,  Go  thy 
way,  Daniel :  for  the  words  are  shut  up  and  sealed  till  the 

io  time  of  the  end.  Many  shall  purify  themselves,  and  make 
themselves  white,  and  be  refined  ;  but  the  wicked  shall  do 
wickedly  ;  and  none  of  the  wicked  shall   understand  :  but 

n  they  that  be  wise  shall  understand.     And  from  the  time  that 


(<S0  THE  BOI  IK  (  >F  DANIEL 

the  continual  burnt  offering  shall  be    taken   away,  and  the 
abomination  that  maketh  desolate  set  up,  there  shall  be  a 

12  thousand  two  hundred  and  ninety  days.  Blessed  is  he  that 
waiteth,  and  cometh  to  the  thousand  three  hundred  and  five 

13  and  thirty  days.  But  go  thou  thy  way  till  the  end  be  :  for 
thou  shalt  rest,  and  shalt  stand  in  thy  lot.  at  the  end  of  the 
days. 


REFERENCES. 

Verses.  Numbers. 

i  A.  C.  1664,  8620,  10505;  D.  Lord  4;  A.  R.  256,  548,  704;  T.  C.  R. 
652;  A.  E.  199,  222,  717;  P.  P.;  Diet.  I'.  13 

1,2 \.  C  S01S 

2 A.  C.  10248 

2,3 •   •    P.P. 

3     A.  C.  2531,  7988,  8313,  9192,  9263,   10331;    II.  \  II.  346,  518;    A.   R. 

51;   T.  C.  R.  606;   A.  E.  72;    Diet.  P.  13 

4 T.  C.  R.  788;    P.  P. 

4,  9,  11,  13 .         D.  Lord  4 

4,  9.  13 Diet.  P.  13 

5-7 P.P 

6,  7 A.  E.  951;   Diet.  I'.  50 

7 A.  C.  7051;   A.  R.  562;   A.  E.  608,  610,  761 

7,9 A.  k.478 

7,  11 Diet.  P.  13 

8,9 P.  I". 

9 Coronis  5 

9,  10 A.  R.  948 

10 P.P. 

10-12 \.  C  5370 

11 A.  C.  2838,  10042;   A.  E.  700 

n-13 PP. 

Chapter  cited H.  &  II.  171 ;   A.  R.  500 


THE  END  OF  PROPHECY  I  ,s  | 

COMMENTARY. 

THE    END    OF    PKOPHECV. 

This  final  chapter  of  the  Book  of  Daniel  may  be  said 
to  contain  the  end  of  prophecy  ;  it  tells  of  the  end  of  the 
old  and  the  beginning  of  the  new  —  a  state  when  there 
is  a  passing  away  of  old  things,  and,  in  consequence, 
fear  and  uncertainty,  and  the  coming  in  of  a  new  dis- 
pensation when  there  is  joy  that  the  light  has  come. 

And  at  that  time  shall  Michael  stand  up,  the  great  prince 
which  standeth  for  the  children  of  thy  people  ;  and  there  shall 
be  a  time  of  trouble,  such  as  never  was  since  there  was  a  nation 
even  to  that  same  time  ;  and  at  that  time  thy  people  shall  be 
delivered,  every  one  that  shall  be  found  written  in  the  book. 
(Ver.  i.) 

The  words,  "  And  at  that  time,"  serve  to  show  the 
immediate  connection  between  this  first  verse  and  verse 
forty-five  of  the  preceding  chapter.  The  "king  of  the 
south  "  has  triumphed  over  the  "  king  of  the  north," 
and  the  glorious  reign  of  peace  has  begun. 

"Michael,  the  prince,"  as  already  explained,  stands 
for  a  heavenly  society,  and  those  who  are  in  the  acknowl- 
edgment of  the  Lord  in  His  Divine  Humanity.  Figura- 
tively speaking,  it  is  always  "  Michael,  the  prince  "  who 
stands  up  for  the  Lord's  people,  that  is,  the  inward  ac- 
knowledgment of  the  Divine  Human  in  the  Lord  sus- 
tains and  supports  the  man  of  the  church  in  all  times 
of  trouble.  Daniel  himself  was  sustained  by  the  pres- 
ence of  angels,  as  the  Lord  was  in  His  temptation. 
And  in  every  spiritual  conflict  through  which  the  Church 


i  Sj  I  HE  Bl  K  »K  ( >l-   DANIEL 

has  passed,  it  is  the  power  of  the  Divine  Truth  as  it  is 
man i listed  in  humanity  that  saves  the  world.  There  is 
always  a  "time  of  trouble"  at  the  end  or  consumma- 
tion of  a  church,  "men's  hearts  failing  them  for  fear, 
and  for  looking  after  those  things  which  are  coming  on 
the  earth."      (Luke  x.xi.  6.) 

In  regard  to  the  spiritual  fulfilment  of  the  prophecies 
of  Daniel  since  the  Lord's  first  coming,  we  have  indi- 
cated in  our  explanation  of  previous  chapters  that  this 
fulfilment  has  ahead)-  begun.  The  last  judgment  spoken 
of  in  the  twenty-fifth  chapter  of  the  Gospel  of  Matthew, 
and  in  the  symbolic  language  of  the  Apocalypse, has  been 
effected  in  the  world  of  spirits  into  which  man  enters 
after  death.  The  first  Christian  Church  was  fully  con- 
summated at  the  time  of  that  judgment.  Before,  dur- 
ing, and  after  that  judgment,  the  Lord  began  to  make 
His  second  advent  through  a  revelation  to  men  on  earth 
of  the  spiritual  meaning  of  the  Word,  and  after  the 
lapse  of  time  a  New  Church  began  to  be  formed  and 
established,  in  which  the  Lord  alone  was  worshipped 
in  His  Divine  Humanity.  This  new  revelation,  made 
through  the  instrumentality  of  a  man,  is  received  at  this 
day  by  only  a  few.  It  cannot  be  proved  to  be  true  by 
any  external  evidence.  The  "signs"  that  are  spoken 
of  in  the  twenty-fourth  chapter  of  Matthew — the  dark- 
ening of  the  sun,  the  turning  of  the  moon  into  blood, 
and  the  falling  of  the  stars  —  are  to  be  interpreted  ac- 
cording to  the  language  of  correspondences  and  not  nat- 
urally or  literally.  We  do  not  expect  to  see  the  Lord 
coming  in  the  natural  clouds,  but  we  know  that  He  has 
already  begun  to  manifest  Himself  in  the  spiritual  mean- 


THE  EM)  OF  PROPHECY  I  S3 

ing  of  His  own  Divine  Word,  the  letter  of  which  is  as 
a  cloud  that  veils  the  inner  glory  ;  and  we  know  also 
that  a  time  of  desolation  has  come  upon  the  church. 
The  Word  of  the  Lord  is  being  more  and  more  rejected 
by  many,  at  the  same  time  that  a  few  are  receiving  the 
light  of  its  heavenly  meaning  as  unfolded  in  the  doc- 
trines of  the  New  Church. 

In  the  language  of  Daniel,  "there  shall  be  a  time  of 
trouble,  such  as  never  was  since  there  was  a  nation  even 
to  that  same  time."  This  is  like  the  language  of  Matt. 
xxiv  : 

For  there  shall  be  great  tribulation,  such  as  was  not  from  the 
beginning  of  the  world  to  this  time,  nor  ever  shall  be. 

These  passages  refer,  more  particularly,  to  the  time 
of  the  Last  Judgment,  which  took  place  in  the  middle 
of  the  last  century.  But  the  effects  of  that  judgment 
are  still  seen;  the  "old"  is  still  passing  away.  The 
conflict  of  faith  has  not  yet  ended  on  earth,  because  the 
old  ideas  of  religion  and  dogmas  of  faith  still  linger  in 
the  minds  of  many,  while,  on  the  other  hand,  the  light 
is  dawning  upon  the  minds  of  others. 

"And  at  that  time,"  it  is  said,  "thy  people  shall  be 
delivered,  every  one  that  shall  be  found  written  in  the 
book."  By  the  book  here  is  meant  man's  book  of  life. 
In  Rev.  iii.  5,  we  read  : 

He  that  overcometh,  the  same  shall  be  clothed  in  white  rai- 
ment ;  and  I  will  not  blot  out  his  name  out  of  the  book  of  life, 
but  I  will  confess  his  name  before  my  Father  and  before  his 
angels. 

To  be  written  in  the  "  Lamb's  book  of  life  "  is  to  have 


[84 


THE  Hook  OF  DANIEL 


the  truths  oi  heaven  inscribed  upon  the  heart.  Man 
comes  into  a  heavenly  state  of  life  when  the  truth  in- 
scribed upon  the  book  of  memory  is  confirmed  by  acts 
of  repentance,  and  by  heartfelt  obedience  to  the  Divine 

law,  and  is  thus  brought  into  life. 

And  many  of  them  that  sleep  in  the  dust  of  the  earth  shall 
awake,  some  to  everlasting  life,  and  some  to  shame  and  ever- 
lasting contempt.     (Ver.  2.) 

This  passage  has  been  used  as  a  proof  of  the  resur- 
rection of  the  natural  body  at  the  time  of  the  Last  Judg- 
ment, and  of  a  belief  in  a  resurrection  having  existed 
among  the  Babylonians  or  in  the  time  of  Daniel.  The 
latter  is  probably  true.  It  is  stated  by  good  authori- 
ties : 

The  belief  of  the  Babylonians  and  Assyrians  in  the  existence 
and  immortality  of  the  soul,  in  resurrection,  in  a  future  life,  in 
heaven  and  hell  is  no  longer  disputed.  The  tablets  found  in 
Babylonia  show  this. 

But  this  belief  in  a  resurrection  must  have  been  very 
different  from  the  true  idea  of  the  resurrection  of  man 
in  a  spiritual  form  at  the  time  of  the  death  of  the  mate- 
rial body  which  is  now  made  known  to  tis.  Those  old 
nations  had  natural  ideas  of  spiritual  realities.  The  lat- 
ter had  faded  out,  but  the  former  remained.  And  these 
natural  ideas  served  as  types  or  images  of  the  spiritual 
or  heavenly.  "To  sleep  in  the  dust  of  the  earth  "  is  a 
figurative  expression  to  denote  a  low,  natural,  and  sen- 
sual state  of  life,  from  which  man  is  awakened  by  the 
voice  of  truth  speaking  to  his  inner  consciousness,  and 
not  bv  the  sound  of  a  trumpet  in  the  air. 


THE  END  OF  PROPHECY 


185 


Mankind  is  now  awakening  in  part  from  this  state  of 
sleep.  "Many,"  it  is  said,  not  all,  "shall  awake."  This 
spiritual  awakening  is  similar  to  that  of  a  man  who 
awakens  from  the  sleep  of  death  and  comes  into  conscious 
life  in  the  other  world.  Not  all  awake  to  righteousness, 
but  some  to  "everlasting  shame  and  contempt."  And  so 
in  regard  to  verse  three  : 

And  they  that  be  wise  shall  shine  as  the  brightness  of  the 
firmament ;  and  they  that  turn  many  to  righteousness,  as  the 
stars  forever  and  ever. 

Those  who  have  been  obedient  to  the  truth  and  have 
acquired  wisdom  from  the  Lord  come  into  heavenly  soci- 
eties after  death,  and  shine  as  the  "brightness  of  the 
firmament,"  and  those  who  teach  others  and  lead  them 
to  good,  shine  "  as  the  stars  forever  and  ever."  The 
coming  of  the  Lord  on  earth  was  made  known  by  the 
shining  of  the  Star  in  the  East. 

But  thou,  O  Daniel,  shut  up  the  words,  and  seal  the  book 
even  to  the  time  of  the  end  ;  many  shall  run  to  and  fro  and 
knowledge  shall  be  increased.     (Ver.  4.) 

The  words  of  prophecy,  especially  of  this  book  and 
of  the  Book  of  Revelation  called  the  Apocalypse,  have 
been  shut  up  or  concealed  from  the  understanding  of 
men  in  the  first  Christian  Church  ;  that  is,  their  true, 
spiritual  meaning  was  not  made  known  or  revealed  be- 
fore the  Lord's  second  coming,  because  the  world  was 
not  prepared  to  receive  it  until  the  church  was  fully  con- 
summated, until  the  old  things  had  somewhat  passed 
away,  and  until  a  separation  had  been  made  between  the 


I  86  THE  li<  IOK  01    DANIEL 

wheat  and  the  chaff  and  the  sheep  and  the  goats.  And 
even  now,  after  the  lapse  of  more  than  a  century  from 
the  time  of  the  Last  Judgment,  there  are  man}-  who  are 
kept  in  states  of  ignorance  as  to  the  spiritual  meaning 
of  the  Word  and  the  future  state  of  life,  lest  they  should 
profane  what  is  holy.  But  on  the  other  hand  many  are 
seeking  the  light  and  are  filled  with  an  eager  desire  to 
acquire  new  truths  about  the  Lord  and  salvation.  This 
eager  seeking  after  knowledge,  this  "  panting  "  for  the 
"brooks  of  water"  is  denoted  by  the  words,  "man}'  shall 
run  to  and  fro  and  knowledge  shall  be  increased."  On 
the  one  hand  there  is  obscurity  and  perplexity,  a  rejec- 
tion of  the  old  creeds  and  an  unwillingness  to  believe 
that  the  Sacred  Scriptures  are  a  Divine  revelation  ;  while, 
on  the  other  hand,  there  is  a  constant  approach  to  the 
true  idea  of  the  Lord  as  the  God  of  heaven  and  earth, 
and  an  opening  of  the  human  mind  for  the  reception  of 
the  light  of  the  spiritual  meaning  of  the  Word  of  the 
Lord.  The  Lord  hides  the  truth  and  seals  up  the  book 
only  that  it  may,  in  due  time,  when  there  is  a  full  prep- 
aration, be  revealed  unto  the  innocent  in  heart,  who  are 
called  "babes"  in  the  Gospel. 

Then  I,  Daniel,  looked  and,  behold,  there  stood  other  two, 
the  one  on  this  side  of  the  brink  of  the  river,  and  the  other  on 
that  side  of  the  brink  of  the  river.  And  one  said  to  the  man 
clothed  in  linen,  which  was  above  the  waters  of  the  river,  How 
long  shall  it  be  to  the  end  of  these  wonders?  And  I  heard  the 
man  clothed  in  linen,  which  was  above  the  waters  of  the  river, 
when  he  held  up  his  right  hand  and  his  left  hand  unto  heaven, 
and  sware  by  Him  that  liveth  forever,  that  it  shall  be  for  a  time, 
times  and  a  half:   and  when  the)'  have  made  an   end  of  break- 


THE  END  OF  PROPHECY  I  87 

ing  in  pieces  the  power  of  the  holy  people,  all  these  things 
shall  be  finished.     (Ver.  5-7.) 

Here  we  have  a  renewal  of  the  vision  mentioned  in 
chapter  ten.  A  certain  man,  clothed  in  linen,  appears 
to  Daniel  by  the  bank  of  the  River  Hiddekel.  These 
things  are  said  with  reference  to  the  consummation  of 
the  church.  The  one  who  inquires  of  the  man  clothed 
in  linen,  represents  those  who  seek  to  know  from  the 
Lord  the  state  of  the  church.  There  are  two  classes  of 
men  spoken  of  as  existing  in  the  church  at  its  consum- 
mation. These  are  represented  by  the  one  standing  on 
this  side  of  the  brink  of  the  river,  and  by  the  other 
standing  on  that  side  of  the  brink  of  the  river. 

The  river  denotes  the  stream  of  Divine  Truth  which 
proceeds  from  the  Lord,  and  thus  the  Word  itself.  The 
man  clothed  in  linen  is  seen  standing  upon  the  waters. 
Those  who  approach  the  Word  with  the  desire  of  know- 
ing the  truth  that  they  may  bring  it  into  life  receive 
the  light,  while  those  who  seek  it  solely  for  the  sake  of 
themselves,  that  they  may  have  honor  or  gain,  dwell 
only  on  the  natural  side  of  truth  and  do  not  understand 
the  spiritual  meaning  of  the  signs  and  wonders  that  are 
spoken  of  in  the  Word  concerning  the  church  and  its 
consummation.  The  spiritual  meaning  of  this  book  of 
Daniel,  with  its  wonderful  visions,  would  have  remained 
sealed  up  unless  the  Lord  had  revealed  it.  The  same 
may  be  said  of  the  Apocalypse  from  beginning  to  end. 
The  Word  itself  contains  the  evidence  of  the  truth  of  all 
prophecy.  What  is  said  to  be  confirmed  by  an  oath  by 
the  man  clothed  in  linen,  is  spoken  of  those  things  which 
are  contained  in  the  Word  concerning  the  Consumma- 


I  gg  THE   Bl  M  >K   Ol    I)  VNIEL 

t ion  of  the  Age,  or  the  end  of  the  church,  the  Last 
Judgment,  and  the  Second  Coming  of  the  Lord.  These 
events  are  actually  revealed  in  the  Word,  but  their  spir- 
itual fulfilment  could  not  be  known  until  the  spiritual 
meaning  of  the  Word  was  unfolded  by  the  Lord.  This 
was  made  known  to  Daniel,  for  we  read  : 

And  I  heard  but  I  understood  not ;  then  said  I,  O  my  Lord, 
what  shall  be  the  issue  of  these  things.  And  He  said,  Go  thy 
way,  Daniel  ;  for  the  words  are  shut  up  and  sealed  till  the  time 
of  the  end.      (Ver.  8,  9.) 

In  regard  to  the  expression  "time,  times,  and  a  half," 
they  simply  denote  a  fulness  of  state,  or  a  lull  consum- 
mation which  must  come  before  the  Lord  will  make  His 
second  advent.  In  the  book  of  Revelation,  the  woman. 
who  symbolizes  the  church,  is  said  to  "  fly  into  the 
wilderness  where  she  is  nourished  for  a  time,  times,  and 
half  a  time  from  the  face  of  the  serpent."  Here  the 
spiritual  meaning  is  the  same  as  that  in  Daniel. 

In  explanation  of  this  passage  in  Rev.  xii.  14,  we 
read  : 

It  is  of  the  Lord's  Divine  Providence  that  the  church  should 
at  first  be  among  a  few,  and  should  increase  gradually  among 
many,  because  the  falsities  of  the  former  church  must  first  be 
removed,  as  truths  cannot  before  be  received  ;  for  the  truths 
which  are  received  and  implanted  before  falsities  are  removed, 
do  not  remain  and  are  also  dissipated  by  the  dragonists.  The 
(  ase  was  the  same  with  the  Christian  Church,  that  it  increased 
gradually  from  a  few  to  many.      (A.  R.  547.) 

Many  shall  purify  themselves  and  make  themselves  white  and 
be    refined  ;  but    the   wicked   shall  do  wickedly  ;  and   none  of 


THE  END  OF  PROPHECY 


I  89 


the  wicked  shall  understand  ;  but  the  wise  shall  understand. 
(Ver.  10.) 

We  may  compare  this  with   Rev.  xxii.  1 1  : 

He  that  is  unjust  let  him  be  unjust  still ;  and  he  that  is  filthy 
let  him  be  filthy  still ;  and  he  that  is  righteous  let  him  be 
righteous  still  ;  and  he  that  is  holy  let  him  be  holy  still. 

At  the  time  of  the  Last  Judgment,  and  in  the  judg- 
ment which  awaits  every  one  after  death,  those  who  are 
in  evils  and  have  confirmed  themselves  in  them  remain 
in  them.  It  is  not  the  Lord's  pleasure  that  this  should 
be  so,  that  is,  that  the  wicked  should  remain  in  evil  after 
death,  but  it  cannot  be  otherwise,  since  the  Lord  cannot 
change  evil  into  good  nor  destroy  the  freedom  of  the 
human  will. 

And  from  the  time  that  the  continual  burnt  offering  shall  be 
taken  away  and  the  abomination  that  maketh  desolate  set  up, 
shall  be  a  thousand  two  hundred  and  ninety  days.  Blessed  is 
he  that  waiteth  and  cometh  to  the  thousand  three  hundred  and 
five  and  thirty  days.  But  go  thou  thy  way  till  the  end  be,  for 
thou  shalt  rest,  and  stand  in  thy  lot  at  the  end  of  the  days. 
(Ver.  11-13.) 

We  have  before  shown  in  explaining  these  prophetic 
sayings  that  the  numbers  of  days,  weeks,  or  years  have 
no  reference  to  natural  time  but  to  states  of  the  church. 
The  "daily  burnt  offering"  refers  to  the  representative 
worship  of  the  Jewish  Church  which  was  abolished  when 
the  Lord  came  into  the  world.  Then  a  new  state  arose. 
But  the  "abomination  of  desolation  "  refers  to  the  end 
or  consummation  of  the  first  Christian  Church. 

The   time   from    the   Lord's  first  comina"  to  the  Last 


190 


THE  BOOK  OF  DANIEL 


Judgment  embraced  the  whole  period  of  the  duration  of 
the  first  Christian  Church.  So  long  as  any  remains  of 
good  were  left  in  that  church  men  were  saved  and  en- 
tered heaven,  but  for  the  most  part  those  who  entered 
the  heavenly  societies  from  the  Christian  world  during 
that  period,  especially  the  latter  part  of  it,  were  infants, 
who  had  not,  of  course,  profaned  any  truth  or  adulter- 
ated any  good.  From  these  the  "  new  heaven  "  could 
be  formed.  As  there  were  many  who  waited  for  the 
"  consolation  of  Israel  "  at  the  time  of  the  Lord's  first 
coming,  so  there  were  some  at  the  end  of  the  first 
Christian  Church  who  waited  for  their  Lord.  These 
receive  the  glad  tidings  of  His  Second  Coming.  They 
are  called  "  blessed,"  because  they  cherish  a  firm  belief 
that  the  Lord  will  come,  although  they  know  not  the 
day  of  His  coming.  But  when  the  spiritual  meaning  of 
the  Word  is  revealed  to  them  they  rejoice  in  the  light. 
The  final  injunction  to  Daniel  is  the  Lord's  injunction 
to  all  His  faithful  followers  ;  for  Daniel  in  this  verse 
represents  those  who  wait  patiently  and  believe  in  the 
Lord. 

"  Go  thy  way  till  the  end  be,"  means  that  every  one 
must  walk  in  the  light  and  live  according  to  it  until  the 
judgment  comes.  Every  one  finds  his  place  after  death 
either  with  the  evil  or  the  good,  according  to  his  life  in 
the  world.     The  Psalmist  declares  : 

The  rod  of  the  wicked  shall  not  rest  upon  the  lot  of  the 
righteous  ;  lest  the  righteous  put  forth  their  hand  unto  iniquity, 
(exxv.  3.) 

This  doctrine  of  the  New  Jerusalem,  that  man  should 


THE  END  OF  PROPHECY 


]9I 


live  according  to  the  Lord's  commandments,  faithfully 
doing  his  part  in  the  great  drama  of  life,  is  written 
throughout  the  whole  Word  in  history  and  prophecy. 
Peace  and  blessedness  come  not  from  merely  thinking 
or  believing,  but  from  loving  and  doing. 

The  crowning  glory  of  the  New  Church,  signified  by 
the  New  Jerusalem,  will  be  a  perfected  humanity,  de- 
veloped in  order  from  the  lowest  degrees  of  life  to  the 
highest — man  created  and  recreated,  renewed,  regen- 
erated, and  disenthralled,  an  image  and  likeness  of  the 
Glorified  One  who  appeared  to  Prophets  and  Apostles 
and  Who  has  called  His  people  out  of  the  bondage  of 
Egypt  and  the  captivity  of  Babylon  into  the  light  and 
freedom  of  the  Holy  City. 


INDEX. 


PAGE 

Ahasuerus 95 

Ancient  of  Days 117-im 

Vntiochus  Epiphanes 6 

Astrologers 39 

Astyages 95 

Babylon,  Capture  of 90 

Beasts,  Four.  Vision  of 114-11  7 

Belshazzar 81,  S2 

Belteshazzar 21 

Book  of  Daniel     1-13 

'      "         "     Apocrypha]  additions  to,  12 

Chaldeans 18-41 

Churches,  Most  Ancient,  Ancient,  Jewish, 

Christian,  New-Jerusalem,  42-47 

Cyrus     7,31, 154,  155 

Daniel 13-20  rt  pa ss hit 

Darius  the  Mede 7,  95 

Dreams      in,  112 

Ecclesiastical  History     47 

End  of  Prophecy 181 

Feast  of  Belshazzar 83 

Fiery  Furnace 60-63 

( labriel [9,  [32 

Grecia 163 

Hiddekel      159,  1S7 

Horn,  Little 130 

Horns,    Four 130 

Image,  Great      43 

Inquisition,  The 99 

Jehoiakim 23 

Jehoiachin,  or  Jechoniah 24 

Jeremiah 140,  141 

Josephus  on  Daniel      14 

Jewish  Church 14; 

King  of  the  North  and  King  of  the 
South    - 
Kings,  Four 120 


PAGE 

Kings  of  Media  and  Persia  .  .  .  .90,  133 
Kings  of  Persia      161,  172 

I-ast  Judgment [48,150,189 

Lycanthropy 70 

Magicians 39 

Man  Clothed  in  Linen  .  .  .  15,7,  1;-.  1-- 
Mene,  Mene,  Tekel,  (Jpharsin  .  .  88,  89 
Michael 19 

Nebuchadnezzar 23-26 

Necho 24 

New  Jerusalem 17,  191 

Numbers 142-144 

Prayer  of  Daniel 102 

Profanation 84,  85 

Ram  and  He-Goat 126-128 

Raphael 19 

Resurrection 1S4 

Roman  Catholic  Religion  .....     54-56 

Sacrifice,  Daily 131 

Satraps 97 

Shadrach,  Meshach,  and  Abednegi  1 

55.  59-63 

Sheep 126,  127 

Shinar,  Land  of 5 

Shushan 125 

Son  of  Man 11S 

Son  of  the  Gods 62 

Song  of  the  Three  Hebrew  Children  .  61 
Sorcery    40 

Tarshish      158 

Tigris 159 

Trie.  Nebuchadnezzar's  Dream  of  71-73 
Vessels,  the  Sacred 27,  85 

Wars ■    126 

Winds,  Four 113 

u  ini         s 

Writing  on  the  Wall 86 

Zedekiah      14 


Date  Due 


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